FacePaint A Kankuro Love story dated 2007
by TheOtherGirlWhoCries
Summary: Here is a story I wrote in 2007... It is about a girl named Shokidenai whom gradually falls in love with Kankuro... however, seeing as it is from 3 years ago this is the original version. A newer version will be submitted.
1. Chapter 1 through 3

Face Paint - A Kankurou love story. (Original – date of creation is 2007)

Beginning:

A young girl by the name of Shokidenai Hanna was running through the last of the tree's before she comes to the desert. She jumps down on the ground. Putting a hand up to shade her eyes from the sun she scans for anything or anyone. She finds no one so she takes her canteen and drinks from it heavily. She had been trying to reach her friend whom she had lost contact with. She wiped her brow when she was done drinking. She started back on her way to the Sand Village. Thoughts rampaged through her head as she was trying to think of why her friend, so dear would vanish, and not tell her. Her eyes scanned as she was searching for any sign of her friend, A young girl, around her age. Shokidenai Hanna at the age of sixteen was banished from her village, and many others. She had no family left, she tried to destroy what was her village. There had been a large epidemic shortly after she was born, it crumbled the life of many of the elders. It continued to destroy the village. And when it was done, Only she and 7 others were left of the village. Soon after being banished and whipped, she had met 'her'. One who made most people shudder in distaste and hate. And her name was... Sasumi. Sasumi at first was skeptic of Shokidenai. But soon, unknown to Sasumi, grew to be powerful friends. That was when they were nine. It has been some time since the last meeting, In fact almost a year.

Shokidenai was scanning the ground and horizon. Thinking of all the times they spent, happy, even if that was a feeling that Sasumi said she did not have. Running, even faster now, as she was thinking, she soon, unknowingly till the last second, realized she was there. And the last second, was... too late. She ran into the wall. She pushed herself off of the wall, and rubbed her head. It caused a minor headache but she was fine. She walked backwards and inspected the large rock. She walked back up to it and pressed her hand to the rock, and felt the creatures living inside the rock. She scowled, she then backed up again and ran up the wall, forcing all of her chakra into her feet and scaled the large rock. It was only a few minutes later that her feet had no more rock to climb, so she jumped on to the top. She scanned the village below. It was beautiful, In a way that satisfied her cravings for the forest. She jumped down and landed on a small shack, and jumped down from that still. She had a feeling, that somewhere in this village, her friend, was here. There was almost no mistake about it. She walked around the village, and that was her first mistake. Scorned looks, and looks of fear swooped from the eyes of the people. It made her angry. She hated the looks, and unlike sasumi. She couldn't handle it, it made her blood boil. The looks just continued, and so did the rising anger. Soon, her nails were cutting into her skin, more and more. A masculine yell, reached her ears. Causing them to twitch.  
"Who the hell are you! Answer me you Wench!" The voice yelled, and a hand, gripped her shoulder not in a caring grasp, but in in bone shattering twist.

That was it, she had it. She lifted her foot and tried to kick the man behind her, but... her kick stopped? She turned around and pushed the hand off her shoulder.  
"Is that how you treat a lady?" Her eyes, brown, usually, turned a crisp black. Her lips in a scowl, and got in a traditional fighting stance. The man, however was no man, but, rather, her age. Her blood started to boil more as the guy, just stood there, arms crossed eyes closed, face... plane. His hair, Red, was just begging to be ripped apart. She couldn't handle it. She tried to run at him but her feet were stuck. She felt sand creep up her body, enveloping it in sad. It started up her head, but then a familiar voice, shouted in the distance.  
"Gaara! Stop it, I know her!" A young woman, now, ran up and grasp the guy, his face filled with shock. The young woman walked over to Shokidenai, who was no longer covered in the sand.  
"Sa-sa-sasumi? Oh Sasumi I thought something terrible happened to you!" Shokidenai ran up to Sasumi and grabbed one of her hands and smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sasumi let out a small concerned smile, and let go of the guy, and hugged her old friend.  
"I missed you too Shocky. I am sorry that Gaara almost killed you." Sasumi smiled and slightly chuckled.  
"It's OK. It would take more than that to kill me remember?" Shokidenai smiled and wiped away the tears, and fell to the ground, exhausted from today's travel.

Chapter 2:

Shokidenai slowly opened her eyes, she was resting on a bed. She bolted up, and saw 'Gaara' and Sasumi there. She glared at him, but then grabbed her head as a sharp pain came up her back and into her skull. The fight she had a week ago was finally coming back to her. When the pain was gone she looked back to Sasumi. She saw Sasumi slightly worried, and Gaara pissed as hell.  
"Sasumi, do you really know this _girl_? She's... So..." He looked at her, up and down with a skeptical view. Shokidenai looked at him as well. She folded her arms and cleared her throat.  
"Well, I don't believe that you look as perfect as a cup of tea either. So I suppose we are in the same boat." She turned on her heels and then walked to a bench and sat on it. She crossed her legs and she stared at them from afar. Gaara looked over to Sasumi with an disbelieving look, and Shokidenai saw his lips moving, and then Sasumi's. A young man, older than Gaara walked up, he had purple face paint on and a black out fit with an black hat looking thing (just what is that anyway?). He came up and clapped both Gaara's and Sasumi's shoulders, Shokidenai's eyes thinned with slight anger. Gaara smiled slightly and the guy talked to Gaara and Sasumi for a bit; they both pointed, Gaara with disgust, and Sasumi with a plain, but caring look at her. She tossed her hair absently, and her eyes, slowly returning back to their calm brown color. The guy walked over to her, both Gaara and Sasumi walked with him.

"Hello, I am sorry for my little brother, if he did hurt you. You see he is the-" He got cut off by Shokidenai,  
"No need to apologize, And I don't give a flying, colored rat's ass about who, or what he is. I would just like to catch up with Sasumi. Unless his royal, I-can-try-to-kill-who-ever-I-want, will try and kill me again with that damned sand of his." She talked with the air of someone who could snap an arm in half if she really wanted too. Sasumi looked at her friend, and sighed. She put an hand on the guy's shoulder. He looked a little shocked and confused.  
"Don't worry about Shocky, she gets miffed easily that's all. Her full name is shokidenai Hana. Pronounced shah-key-dee-nie hahn-ah." Sasumi looked at the guy with apologetic, and slightly it-is-my-fault look and continued "She is really loyal to the few friends she has, and she must have been looking for me. She is an really emotional person. Even though she herself, is somewhat a cause of the murder of majority of her village." Sasumi stopped there as, unexpectedly Shokidenai shot up and ran her eyes shut tight, fists clenched, blood running down her clenched fingers. She jumped out the window and up on top of the houses, and was soon out of sight.  
"What... just happened." The guy stared after where she disappeared. Shocked faces for all three of them. Sasumi was about to open her mouth, but she stopped herself. Gaara however, his shocked face was gone in a moment, and he continued to glare after her long gone image. A young woman walked up, and noticed the three of them, two shocked, one pissed.  
"What's going on? Gaara, Kankurou, Sasumi? What is it?" The young woman asked. She stared on her blond hair in its usual pigtail type. Sasumi shook her head.  
"We don't even know Temari. Note even us. I think she is upset again. She is still soft." Sasumi jumped out the window as well and disappeared. Kankurou stared after them and then walked away. Gaara walked to his office and slammed the door. Temari just stood there bewildered.

Shokidenai sat, knee's practically glued to her chest, and her hands resting around them, crying in one of the dark alley's. She looked up at the sky, and her shoulders heaved while she continued to cry silently. She sighed, as she slowly calmed down. A smile graced her lips as a small bird found it's perch just above her seat. It twittered and sang, and then relocated to her knee. She smiled at it still. Soon she was laughing, and giggling as the bird decided to dance. It then flew up and did a few dips and then it flew away, still singing. The smile disappeared. She sighed again, her heart still heavy, She stared at the people bustling, their turbans and shawls and such. But then, the black outfit caught her eye. It was him again. She spat a curse or two and then stood, the motion seemed foreign to the alley, and it caught his attention. He walked over and looked at her, his eyes seemed to widen with slight amazement. She once again tossed her hair, but this time to get it out of her face. He walked closer with a smug look on his face.  
"You know Sasumi is looking for you. I am sorry if we got on the wrong foot. Lets start over shall we?" He held out his hand, with an sincere look on his face. She just stared at him, then took his hand, and instead of an hand shake, flipped him on his back. She walked over him and turned around, just past his chest she was standing. He stared up at her, with a smile on his face and he was blushing.  
"Nice view. Good arm too." His smile got bigger. She glared at him and picked him up by his collar and glared at him.  
"You should be glad that I don't like to fight. I am against it, and if I don't have to, will avoid fighting at all times." She glared at him, her face a few inches from his. His smile faded slightly. He looked at her, and then he put his arms up.  
"All right you win. And if you want we could put this all behind us." He started to laugh a bit but then quieted when he saw her glare. He put out his hand again. This time she shook it instead of landing him on his back.  
"My name is Kankurou, Yours?" Kankurou smiled, the face paint distorted slightly from the smile.  
"Shokidenai Hana, you should know that. Sasumi said it." She glanced at him up and down, a side view glance as she was turned slightly.

He looked her up and down, his eyes jumping from one part of her body to the other. Just staring at her. She cleared her throat. His attention was drawn immediately to her lips.  
"It's impolite to stare you know. And besides. I don't like guys who are indecent." She turned on her heels, and started to walk off. Kankurou let out a soft whistle. She turned her head briefly in an angered manner then jumped out of his sight. It was the most humiliating thing that had happened to her in a long while. She couldn't help but think.  
"_There has to be a reason to why Sasumi would spill something so deep and important to me to just a couple of guy's. I mean. We made a pact to keep the past to our selves._" She continued thinking, and she was soon just across to the Kazekage's office. She saw Sasumi in there, sitting on.. _Gaara's_ lap? Him, the KazeKage. Impossible! He was a brat, not exactly little but definitely a brat! She shook her head again, sure enough. He was still there. But... he... was kissing her now. Them together. Jesus almighty. That whack with the giant rock and the faint really must have done something to her logic. She shook her head again, she felt someone behind her, a woman by the sound of the shoes. She turned. It was a young blond girl. She was older than Shokidenai, but... She was similar.. to someone. Kankurou came up behind the young girl and he poked her shoulder. The glare on her face disappeared as she saw Kankurou, she turned to him and the had a talk. She turned back and bowed slightly, in an apologetic manner.  
"I'm so sorry Shokidenai. I didn't know who you are, but my brother explained everything." She put on a small smile and continued "My name is Temari by the way." Temari was still smiling. She then looked up to Gaara's office and smiled slightly.  
"Great, more siblings. And I suppose, by the bad luck I am having so far, there are more? And I also assume by my bad, in fact Horrible luck, That Sasumi, and I am assuming, younger brother are together. Is that so?" She looked at them with a tightly held face, that normally, to one that has no experience in death or fighting such as a academy student, would scare the living shit out of them.

Both just laughed, and as if reporting the weather Temari replied.  
"No, just the three of us. Though how did you know that Sasumi and Gaara are together, and that Gaara is our younger sibling?"  
"A guess. And I just happened to see them kissing only a moment ago. The chair was sideways. And just three? Why not five or seven. It feels like it." Shokidenai just shook her head again. Temari walked over and held out her hand, and Shokidenai shook it.  
"Just one more question. For Temari only seeming as despite the saying, she has more brains." Shokidenai glanced with slight anger at Kankurou then looked back to Temari. "Has Kankurou always been... Perverted... Even though I think that too weak of a word." She glanced back at him and shook her head. Temari just stared at her than at Kankurou, who tried to look innocent, but must have failed.  
"Why, What happened."  
"Oh, Well lets see. When he first offered for a hand shake, I flipped him and then I stepped over, and was right around here." She showed where she stood with her hands, and it was right below her breast. "And he said I quote 'nice view, and nice arm.' If that isn't perverted I don't know what is." And just stared back at Kankurou. Temari glared at him and walked over.  
"Is that true? Did that really happen! That... Is.. Just.. So... Rude!" And she glared at him, fists clenched. And Kankurou didn't really do anything, but stare with the face of disappointment.  
"What do you have to say about yourself!" Temari still glared at him, getting madder at the second.  
"She left..." He just stared still at where Shokidenai was, and Temari turned, and it was true. She really was gone.

Chapter 3:

"Gaara... you have to understand. She's my... Friend. She doesn't really have anywhere else to go." Sasumi concluded there conversation and laid her head on Gaara's chest, who still had on a stone cold face, she only vaguely remembers. She looked at him, he tried to concentrate on anything but her face, and how it looked right now.  
"She, doesn't seem right. She, seems like trouble. She might hurt you. I don't want you to get hurt." He took her face in his hands. He looked at her face, his eyes, soft and caring. He pressed his face next to hers in a passionate kiss. The door flew open. Shokidenai stood by the door, her eyes crisp black, no, more like a soulless blank black. Her mouth twisted in a grimace, not of pain but anger. She walked over and grabbed Sasumi's arm, carefully, as to not hurt her, and glared, with all the anger she could muster at Gaara who was about to get up. Shokidenai pushed him back with just her foot.  
"No, I have to have a talk with Sasumi. Sit there you arrogant prick." She hissed, with a scowl on her face. She turned to Sasumi, who was slightly shocked and motioned for them to leave. Gaara clenched his teeth and gripped his chair with anger. When both left the room Shokidenai looked straight at Sasumi with those same blank black eyes.  
"Those eyes, their, so... different." Sasumi tried to not have contact with the eyes, they, just seemed to capture all hope. Shokidenai looked at her, with a calm face, her normal eyes returned.  
"Why are you with him? WHY! You know that men don't keep their promises! You know they aren't really worth it!... Sorry. I'm just. Nothing... Thank you Sasumi for not telling him everything, even though he is the worst prick I ever saw. At least you didn't tell him about.. The pin." Shokidenai looked like a child with the last two words, they lulled on her tongue, tasted like sugar, but cut her heart like knives. She sighed and leaned against the wall.  
"Shocky... I don't know why, and.. Don't sound like Shikimaru. It's OK. Things just aren't going your way right now are they? And I will never tell, I keep my promises. If I didn't tell him some, he would just have tried to kill you even if you're my friend. All just for the headband." Sasumi smiled softly. She grabbed her friends hands in a loose grip.  
"You like clubs don't you? Temari offered to take me to one, so come on. Lets go get ready." She pulled lightly on Shokidenai's wrists, she winced. Sasumi looked at Shokidenai's pained face. And looked at her wrists.  
"What's wrong? Are.. They broken?" She inspected them.  
"Don't bother, I will get used to them, It was just my stupid self. You know how I am clumsy." Shokidenai held a loose smile on her face. Sasumi just looked at her, and noticed in her eyes, a slight fear, yet, she was so calm.  
"Come on give 'em to me anyway... we'd better get ready right? We can't have you wincing every time you move it." Sasumi smiled, and took Shokidenai's wrists and healed them in a bright light. After she started to leave but Shokidenai didn't follow.  
"Wait.. Is there... Something else?" Sasumi looked worried at her friend.  
"I.. Hnn. Sorry. They... know where your hiding. They followed me, but didn't get past the outside barrier. Or.. The giant rock." She looked down at her feet, deeply sorry for her misjudgment.

"It's OK. It's not your fault. All we have to do is lay low for a while... Come on, let's go get you in an outfit for the club." With that both girls were happy.

3 HOURS LATER!

"Temari, you'll look great tonight! That was such a cool outfit!" Shokidenai laughed, Temari smiled, she shook her bags.  
"You'll look good too. I like your dress you bought. I bet every guy there will be all over you." Temari laughed, Shokidenai shook her head.  
"Nope. That has to be Sasumi.. Hey, sasumi why aren't you talking?" Shokidenai looked concernedly at Sasumi who was lagging behind thinking. She looked up and laughed.  
"Maybe Gaara will have to beat a few guys off with a stick, but not all of them." She had an awkward smile on her face. Shokidenai stopped and put an arm on Sasumi's shoulder.  
"Spill it Hun. What's cookin' in that noggin o' yours?" Shokidenai pretended to knock on Sasumi's head. Sasumi shook her head.  
"I've just been thinking. About how... You need to know how love feels. True love. Not the kind that is in every family. But emotional love, between two people. Such as Temari and Shikimaru." Sasumi smiled "You're the only one who isn't in a relationship. So... I was thinking that maybe this could be a good social boost. You know?" She tried to hide the slight fear of Shokidenai getting hurt.  
"I.. Understand. I.. Just don't think that, it would be a good Idea. Guy's aren't really my thing. Poison is... Remember?" Shokidenai looked at Sasumi, and by then they totally ignored Temari.  
"Come on! We'll be late! You two can talk about this at the house. Come on!" Temari walked over to them and dragged them to Her, Kankurou's, and Gaara's house. When there they all took turns changing.

A FEW MINUTES LATER!

Shokidenai walked out of the room, she was the last one out.  
"Wow Shocky, you look really girly for once! Nice Outfit." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai and approved the outfit by nodding her head. Temari smiled and clapped her hands a little bit. Gaara glared and walked over to Sasumi and put his arm around her waist. Temari just smiled again. Gaara left the room, as well as Kankurou who had been looking at Shokidenai closely. When they came back they looked dashing. Shokidenai was slightly shocked on how cleaned up they looked, and held a slightly baffled look to her face.  
"Snazzy.. Really, I thought that Mr. Hiss & piss wouldn't even think of going somewhere fun. Nor Mr. Purple face over there. Where's your make up anyway?" She put her hands on her wrists and then laughed as both glare at her.  
"Shocky please. Won't you at least try to have manners? They are my friends and don't tell me that I didn't strain that enough." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai with a i-can't-believe-you look. Shokidenai ignored it and walked past them with an air of someone of great importance. Gaara was restraining himself for the sake of Sasumi. Kankurou just glared at her. Miffed, but not as angry as Gaara. He felt the pin in his pocket that he had picked up only a few hours ago when she disappeared from the rooftop only to appear in Gaara's office moments later.  
"Gaara, thanks for not-" Sasumi started but Gaara just walked over and grabbed her waist, and started walking to the club. Temari and Kankurou followed.

AT THE CLUB! 

"Come on Sasumi, I got something to show you!" Temari dragged Sasumi up to the stage, and the announcer called out that she was going to sing a song. Baffled and a bit miffed, she thought of the song to sing, it was Perfect, by simple plan. As she was singing Shokidenai smiled, and felt something severely wrong with the picture, something wrong with Sasumi, and even the Irritable Gaara. She glanced around, no one else sensed it.  
"WHOO GO SASUMI! YOU ROCK!" That was what Shokidenai shouted when Sasumi was done singing. Sasumi walked back and growled,  
"That was really harsh Temari. Why did you have to send me up there?" Sasumi stared at her. Temari just started talking to Sasumi about how good she sings.  
"Sasumi. Is.. There something wrong? Nothing seems the same." Shokidenai looked at Sasumi with slight fear. "Is it your demons?"  
"No, it isn't, just the same old same old. Getting chased by someone." Sasumi waved her hands as if it was unimportant information.  
"It was the Akatsuki wasn't it? Kisame and Itachi I am guessing." Shokidenai looked serious, as if she knew what was going on. Everyone looked at Shokidenai with surprise of her accurate, and self-assured guess.  
"How... How did you know? We.. Didn't even give you a hint... How.. Could you guess so accurately?" Temari was the only one who could even say a thing. Kankurou just let his mouth fall, Gaara's was only open slightly, and he quickly hid his surprise in a glare.  
"Just the luck of.. Well. Me I guess. I mean. I know people, who know other people. And it goes in a circle." She shrugged. It was better than giving lucky guess.  
"I am going to search the bingo book." He was about to turn before Sasumi grabbed his arm and shook her head.  
"Gaara. You would just be wasting precious moments to dance with me, by just turning pages that have no name like hers on there." Sasumi smiled, a reassuring smile. Shokidenai just kept sitting there, and then she sighed. She puffed out her cheeks, out of boredom.  
"Gaara, do you want to dance with me?" Sasumi smiled. "It'll be fun. I promise." Gaara shook his head,  
"No, I don't dance." He sat there defiantly on the seat. She looked at him, with a sad face.  
"Hey, Kankurou." Shokidenai looked over to Kankurou. He looked over sleepily.  
"What?" He looked at her with the same expression.  
"Dance with Sasumi." She said that with a slightly, bossy tone.  
"Fine. But this doesn't mean that I will do whatever you say." He just looked at her and he got up and took Sasumi's hand and started to dance with her. Shokidenai sighed, and got up she waited next to the wall until Sasumi asked to dance with her and she obliged and soon, they were done dancing. After badgering Gaara to dance, he danced. First sad pathetic dancing, then as if he was born dancing. She laughed at him, and then stopped. Shokidenai felt alone. She rubbed her arms. She looked up and realized that they were looking at her. She smiled.  
"Come on Shocky let's go." Sasumi walked over and put an arm over her shoulder. Gaara grabbed Sasumi's arm and took it off her shoulder. Sasumi stared at him for a moment. Then left. She double backed though,  
"Do you like Kankurou?" Sasumi looked over to Shokidenai and had a small smile on her face.  
"Hell no. I don't know him." Shokidenai scoffed.


	2. Chapter 4 through 6

Chapter 4

"Well, who do you like then? You can't _really_ hate all guys." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai who shrugged. They were getting closer to the house. Gaara's fierce gaze laid on Shokidenai, though whenever he turned to look at Sasumi, his gaze was soft and caring. Shokidenai sighed, and looked the other way each time that Gaara stopped staring at her, feeling relieved. She looked over at Sasumi, who smiled warmly at Gaara. Him and Sasumi were meant for each other. She felt that now. She smiled slightly at a warm thought. But it quickly got darkened by a lost memory. The memory of a shadowy figure, taking her in it's arms. She remembered the vigorous training she went through. She remembered everything. Though, she still felt something for the dark figure, a caring tender feeling. She felt as if it was the reason of her downfall.  
"Gaara, when we get inside or outside I want to talk to Shokidenai... _alone_." Sasumi smiled sweetly at Gaara, he rolled his eyes.  
"Like I would want to hear girly shit that she has to talk about." He grumbled and rolled his eyes again. Sasumi walked up behind him and grabbed him in a hug. He put a hand on her arm and lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her hand. He let her hand go as they got up to the house He opened the door for her, and Shokidenai pushed him out of the way, He grabbed her wrist and glared at her, sending a mental message. She shrugged it off. She walked over to Sasumi, who looked at Gaara. After going inside and feeling a bit crowded they went back outside. The sun was falling, and the moon rising.  
"I don't know what should we do? I mean we could leave but Gaara would not go for that. We can stay but then Gaara will find out and then that won't help." Sasumi looked over at Shokidenai who sighed.  
" We have to leave it is the _only_ choice." Shokidenai looked over to her with honesty written on her face.  
"Yeah, well I was planning on leaving. But maybe I can stay. I don't know." She looked in the direction of the house.  
_"What_? Sasumi this is dangerous, we are at the top of the bingo book. Have you lost you're mind?" Shokidenai looked with a surprised face at Sasumi.  
"Well if we can go kill those guys. But then they will send more. Goddamn why can't this be easy?" She shook her head, and sighed.  
"Because this is what we chose. The path we took, we can't change the past but we can change the future." Shokidenai looked at her with a small smile.  
"We need to figure something out." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai seriously.  
"I don't think they will be here for another two months. So I propose we use that time to train and become strong enough to defend the village." It was Shokidenai's turn to look serious.  
"It does not matter they will just send more." Sasumi looked down.  
"Why are you always so negative? You are so pessimistic and always look down on yourself. Stop it, we will find away to get those asshole's off our backs." Shokidenai smiled reassuringly at her. Sasumi was staring up at the sky, and didn't hear what else that Shokidenai had to say.  
"Sasumi did you hear me?" Shokidenai looked at Sasumi.  
"Um what you say?" Sasumi snapped back to reality.

"Never mind you need to start listening." Shokidenai looked at Sasumi.  
"Yeah well you need to get some manners." Sasumi answered back.  
"You need anger management." Shokidenai stated that as a fact.  
"Yeah well I don't want it." Sasumi simply stated.  
"Well I don't want manners." Shokidenai scoffed. Shokidenai leaned over and poked her on the arm.  
"You're it." She giggled and started to run.  
"What that is so unfair." Sasumi smiled. Sasumi got up and started to chase Shokidenai, and caught up with her. Soon they were rolling and laughing on the ground. Someone, not known by Sasumi or Shokidenai was looking out one of the windows at them. They rolled around and laughed a few moments more.  
"See there is the Sasumi I remember always having fun. But still you were always negative." She laughed.  
"What can I say it runs in my blood." Sasumi smiled  
"Speaking of blood. Are Mosquito's getting you too?" Shokidenai started to scratch her arms.  
"Lets go inside. It's better in there." Sasumi walked inside. Shokidenai nodded and followed her inside.  
"Gaara... Still doesn't like you." Sasumi looked at him with a what-am-I-going-to-do-with-him look. Shokidenai smiled.  
"It's OK. I don't like him either remember?" Shokidenai laughed. Sasumi smiled slightly.  
"Usually your in a better mood. Even around guys." Sasumi walked to her room, with Shokidenai who smiled.  
"So. They did all this for you?" Shokidenai looked at the nicely furnished room. She sat on the bed, and slid off her pack, that held a lot of stuff, onto the floor. She did a few hand signs and it turned into a cute little glass bunny. She smiled at it and put it in her pocket. She put her hand on the bed and smiled slightly. Her smile faded though as Sasumi sat down on the bed with a serious face on.  
"There is something we have to talk about. You know what it is don't you." Sasumi's serious face did not fade.  
"Yes. I do. They have been following me. Not the Akatsuki, but... The others." Shokidenai looked over to the side. She tried to avoid eye contact.  
"How come the Akatsuki don't follow you? And how do you know so much about them? And the others are following you?" Sasumi looked at Shokidenai with a more worried than serious face now. Shokidenai sighed.  
"The reason to why the Akatsuki don't follow me is a deeper secret than one I can freely tell you. And 'they' are following me yes." Shokidenai averted here eyes from Sasumi's again.

"Hey, Sasumi.. Can I come in for a second?" It was Kankurou who was at the door. Sasumi was slightly worried that he heard something.  
"All right, I guess." She looked over to Shokidenai. He came in, he was slightly embarrassed.  
"Sorry for bothering you two. I just wanted to ask Shokidenai a question." He smiled at her slightly and then dug in his pocket and pulled something out, he tossed it over to her. Shokidenai caught it. It was a pin. A bunny pin. Red background, and a black bunny. The bunny had in it's paws a daisy. She touched it a few times.  
"Where did you find this?" Shokidenai glared at Kankurou who was surprised by her sudden burst.  
"I.. Found it on the roof when you left to go to Gaara's office. Why?" He glanced away for a moment.  
"This pin... Is so important to me. I thought I lost it." She put it in her hair. She walked over and smiled at Kankurou. He blushed deeply.  
" Well... Its... not lost.." He fidgeted. She leaned in and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.  
"Thanks. Thanks a lot Kankurou. By the way... You can call me Akira." She walked back to the bed and sat down. Kankurou felt his cheek.  
"Your... your welcome. _Any_time... Akira." He walked dazed out of the room, forgetting that she didn't answer his question. Shokidenai looked smug with her pin now.  
"Where did that Shocky come from?" Sasumi looked over at Shokidenai. Shokidenai shrugged and smiled.  
"Gotta catch me to find out!" She giggled and ran downstairs, accidentally tripping once. She entered the Living room and ran around the couch, Gaara growled.  
"What in hell are you doing?" He glared at her from his sitting position.  
"Running, what else does it look like Grumpy?" She laughed. Sasumi ran after Shokidenai and pulled her arm. Shokidenai fell on top of Sasumi and laughed.  
"_Gah_!_ Shocky get off of me_! _You weigh a ton_!" Sasumi was groaning underneath Shokidenai who laughed.  
"Excuse me? I weigh how much? Last time I checked I weighed _less than you_." She scoffed, still not moving.  
"_I know you know_ that muscles weigh _more_ than fat." She groaned and pushed Shokidenai off. Shocky sat down,  
"Well I am all muscle!" She tried to look dignified, but failed. Gaara's sudden giggling was creeping her out.  
"What the fuck was that about? Did he just giggle?" Shokidenai pointed at Gaara as she looked at Sasumi with an oh-my-god-did-he-just-...-he-did-didn't-he look.  
"Yeah well, there is _no way _your all muscle. That is just _impossible_." He laughed again and then sighed.  
"Well, a _majority_ of her is." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai, who was, well, lets just say she could fit in a size extra small and still have it be a bit big.  
"Well then, why doesn't she prove it?" He got up and got in a fighting stance, Shokidenai got in one as well. They ran at each other, but, Sasumi stopped them with her hands.  
"There will be no blood spill on the carpet OK? So enough out of you two!" She glared at the both of them, Shokidenai's lips wiggled and she played the puppy-dog face.

"_Aww, but He started it_! And I'm bored." She let her lip wiggle a bit more, then glared at him when she said 'he started it'.  
"Well guess what? I am ending it right now!" She pushed Shokidenai down, and pushed Gaara back. Gaara retreated to the couch and glared at Shokidenai.  
"Hey Sumi? I am going to go take a shower, change and go to bed all right? You can stay down here with Gaara if you want to." She smiled kindly at Sasumi.  
"All right, but did you just call him Gaara?" Sasumi had a wondering kind of look on her face.  
"_Psh, No_. I called him Grumpy. Why would I call _him_ by his name?" She rolled her eyes and left the room. As Shokidenai left Sasumi walked over to Gaara and sat next to him and kissed him. Shokidenai peered behind her for a moment to see them snuggle and start to talk. She sighed and left to go up to the bathroom that was Sasumi's. She turned on the water than left to go get her bag. She walked back to the shower and got out her bathroom necessities. She got in the shower only a moment later after stripping off her clothes. She began to think, she held her pin in her hand, she looked at it. She felt the pin. Memories flowing back. She refused them. She shook her head. The water from her hair splashing against the wall and the protective plastic. She sighed. A song tingled in her throat. She started singing. She put her pin down and sang while getting her shampoo and conditioner and washing her hair. She sang 'The Sign by Ace of Base'. She started to wash her body, she loved that song. It made her feel... Well, alive. When she was done singing she turned off the shower, she felt nice and clean. She moved to the sink where she started to brush her teeth. When she was done she gargled with mouthwash. She felt fully refreshed. She opened her pack and pulled out a pair of boxer-like pajama pants and a T-shirt that said 'I do whatever the voices in my head tell me to do...' and she laid down on Sasumi's bed. She had a feeling Sasumi would sleep on the floor anyway. She grinned, because only ten minutes later she heard two pairs of footsteps come up the stairs, and separate, one pair coming this way, the other in another direction. She pretended to be asleep. Sasumi got dressed and fell asleep on the floor. Only moments later Shokidenai was asleep as well.  
MORNING!  
Shokidenai rolled over and fell on the ground. She landed on Sasumi.  
"_JESUS SHOCKY_! Get the hell off of me! Stop rolling off the damn bed!" Sasumi growled. She tried to push Shokidenai off of her.  
"Just five more minutes, Sensei, I am sleeping." She mumbled, as if remembering the past. Sasumi continued to try and push the, heavier when sleeping, Shokidenai off of her.  
"Shocky I am not your Sensei, whoever it was, and you are sleeping... _ON TOP OF ME_!" she finally pushed off Shokidenai.  
"I am going to make breakfast OK? It's pancakes." Sasumi was just about to get ready when in a flash Shokidenai was fully awake, with a wide grin on her face.  
"Breakfast?" Her grin just enlarged, and her eyes sparkled. She jumped for joy. "Can I help? _PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE_?" She begged. Sasumi shook her head.

"No. Your food can kill I mean. Think about it. A person who makes poison making breakfast? Anyway the last time you made breakfast it made even _you_ vomit." She shook her head.  
"I've been practicing! Please?" She did the puppy-dog face again. Sasumi sighed again, but in defeat.  
"Fine. But only if after it's ready you wake everyone up." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai. Shokidenai grinned and nodded her head vigorously. They started to make the pancake batter. Shokidenai took down the plates and made sure they were clean, she also helped butter the griddle. Sasumi did the flipping. Shokidenai gawked at how high one of the pancakes went. When they were done Sasumi looked at Shokidenai.  
"OK. Go wake up Temari, just knock on her door, Soku, the same but only if he is here. Kumi you have to throw something at her, and for Gaara you have to scream at him, he hasn't slept for most of his life. Kankurou you have to scream, throw things at him, and jump on his bed. OK? Now go wake them up." Sasumi looked at Shokidenai as she ran out of the room. Sasumi heard knocking and then saw Temari who was slightly sleepy. She then heard Kumi who was screaming and running down the hall. Next was Soku who walked down the stairs after having his door knocked on. She heard a large crash and some yelling and Gaara walked down the stairs pissed, that is until he saw her and he kissed her. Kankurou was last, but, there was no screaming, crashing or yelling involved and he walked out in some sort of a daze. Shokidenai sort of skipped behind them and in a sing song voice greeted them all.  
"Hello everyone! Have a good sleep filled night? I hope." She grinned and then went over to Sasumi and started to pass out the plates,  
"You didn't poison anyone did you?" Sasumi asked worriedly.  
"No, I didn't have enough time to create any poison. Besides, why would I want to kill anyone at a moment like this?" Shokidenai smiled. She put no food at the extra chair she was supposed to sit at. Sasumi grabbed her aside and looked her in the face.  
"How did you get Kankurou to get up? I didn't hear any screaming, crashing or anything of that sort? What did you do?" Sasumi couldn't think of it.  
"A secret's a secret, no matter how big or how small. Kind of like Dr. Suess's 'A persons a person, no matter how big or how small.' only it involves a secret." She put a finger to her lips and winked and skipped out of the room. Sasumi stared with a blank face at Shokidenai. Everyone started to eat, they grinned at the food. They had started to gobble it down when Shokidenai was back downstairs with her pack ready and she was in a pair of shorts and a tank top. She grinned. Gaara scoffed.  
"Well I see your leaving. Well it was not nice to meet you. Have a pleasant death or something." He said. Sasumi smacked him upside the head.  
"Gaara!" She growled. But Shokidenai didn't take the comment at all.  
"No. I am just going out that's all. See you guy's later!" She turned to leave but then Sasumi stopped her.  
"Aren't you going to eat? After all you were psyched about the breakfast." Sasumi looked at her friend.  
"Nah, I got food in my pack if I got hungry. So I am OK. Besides, I don't feel like sitting at the same table as Mr. Grumpy. Don't get pregnant while I'm gone Sumi." She waved and left before anyone can add a comment.  
"Damn it. She acts like she owns _MY_ house. '_Don't get pregnant while I'm gone._' Jesus Christ. How can you have a friend like that?" Gaara grumbled now brimming with anger.  
"Calm down. She didn't mean it that way... I hope." Sasumi looked over at the door. She sighed and walked up stairs done with her meal and took a shower and got dressed in a pair of black jeans and a black shirt, she grabbed her shoes.  
"I'm going to the weapon shop OK?" Sasumi stated as she put on her shoes. Kumi gulped down the last of her meal.  
"Can I come too Sasumi? I have to get a new sword." Kumi grinned.  
"Fine, Just hurry up OK? I will be waiting outside." Sasumi walked outside and waited for Kumi to get ready. 

Chapter 5

"Let's get going!" Kumi giggled and laughed as she started walking into the village with Sasumi. Sasumi smiled slightly as they walked. When they got to the Shop the shopkeeper smiled.  
"Kumi and if my old eyes aren't deceiving me Sasumi. My have you grown Sasumi." The old lady laughed then coughed once as she smiled at Sasumi, her old eyes happy. Sasumi smiled back lightly.  
"Sasumi? How.. Do you know Sasumi ma'am?" Kumi looked at the Shopkeeper, who smiled and nodded.  
"Yeah, Kumi. She knows me. I used to go to all of the villages. Except the sound. I come here whenever I need swords that are perfect examples of perfection." Sasumi walked over to a dagger that looked like it was in perfect shape.  
"Miss Shopkeeper ma'am? Could you fix my Katana please?" She walked over to Sasumi after the old woman shuffled to the back room. "I come here to get my weapons too. Do you want to see my favorite?" Kumi smiled and bounced when she said that. Sasumi smiled and nodded. Kumi bounced over to a sword that had a wolf and a dragon on it's hilt. Kumi didn't pick it up.  
"It's too heavy for me right now. I would buy it if I could pick it up." Her face darkened as she said that. Sasumi walked over and picked it up, she held it with ease.  
"It is a good sword. Maybe I will buy it for you when your older? How about that?" Sasumi smiled a little at Kumi.  
"It'll be gone by then. Someone would probably have bought it. Why don't you buy it for yourself Sasumi?" Kumi's expression lightened.  
"Are you really sure about that?" Sasumi looked at Kumi, who's face brightened so much she was gleaming.  
"Yeah, Besides I like this other sword a lot better!" She chirped, as she jumped off, she stopped at a sword that shone brightly. It had a tiger on it's hilt and also... Kumi's name engraved. Kumi grinned at Sasumi as she hopped back.  
"See? It has my name Engraved in it and has a tiger! And it is light and quick!" Kumi smiled, but did not demonstrate. She handed it over to Sasumi. Sasumi looked at it and wondered why it would have Kumi's name on it. The Shopkeeper walked out, her clothes creating a soft muffled wheezing sound. Kumi walked to the Shopkeeper and got her Katana.  
"Thank you ma'am." She grinned and bowed to the Shopkeeper.  
"Your welcome little Kumi. Aaaah, I see you have shown Sasumi your favorite sword." The Shopkeeper gave Sasumi a wise old look. Kumi nodded.  
"Yes ma'am I have. But I could never get it." She looked down slightly.  
"Of course you could Kumi." Sasumi smiled, Kumi's face jolted to life. "Ma'am I would like to buy these two swords. The one with the dragon and the wolf, and the one with Kumi's name on it." Kumi just stood there as Sasumi started to dish out the dough.  
"Ahmmhmmhmm." The old lady laughed slightly, "Why certainly Sasumi. It would be.. This much." The old lady walked to her cashier and then the price rang up with a old, wheezing clang. Sasumi smiled as the old lady started to package the swords.  
"No thank you Ma'am. We will take them out as they are. But thank you for offering." She smiled a pretty smile. "May I ask why that sword.." She pointed to the sword that had Kumi's name on it, "Has Kumi's name on it?" She continued to smile the same smile.  
"Because she was the inspiration for the sword, just as a note is an inspiration for a song, and a word for a poem, she is the inspiration for this distinct sword. She told me what it should look like, what it should feel like, and so I thought to myself that I should make one like that." The old lady grinned and then wheezed once.  
"Thank you ma'am. Now Kumi can have the sword she designed, and loves." Sasumi bowed and then left with Kumi who was absolutely brimming with happiness.

"Hey, Let's see Gaara!" Kumi grinned as she started to stray towards Gaara's Office. Sasumi was slightly worried.  
"I don't think that is such a great idea Kumi... What if he is busy?" Sasumi continued to walk towards the house.  
"Nah, He doesn't have any stupid paper work today. He just has to be there to pretend to be a good role model." Kumi walked up to the front doors and knocked on the door. Sasumi followed behind her, with only slight nervousness. They were escorted to Gaara's office. Kumi burst through the room and jumped onto Gaara's lap. Gaara looked at her dazed. He sighed. She shoved the sword in his face.  
"Look what Sasumi bought me Gaara! She is the bestest. most awesomest person alive!" Kumi grinned, Sasumi sighed, but smiled. Gaara looked at the sword, he saw Kumi's name engraved in it.  
"Kumi? Did you have Sasumi make the old lady engrave your name in this sword?" He eyed Kumi suspiciously.  
"No, she did not Gaara. She was the inspiration for the Shopkeeper. Is that too hard to believe?" Sasumi walked over and sat on his desk since Gaara's lap was taken.  
"Oh well, I guess it was nice of Sasumi to buy you this sword." He pet Kumi on the head, she closed her eyes and grinned.  
"You know what?" Kumi looked at both Sasumi and Gaara. They stared with blank faces. "You guys are like my mom and dad." Sasumi lost balance and jumped off the desk, Gaara almost puked and put his hand over his mouth. They calmed down after a few seconds. Kumi stared at them.  
"What? Was it something I said." Kumi stared at them, she was oblivious.  
"Do you, know how children are born?" Gaara looked at her, his face slightly paler than usual. Sasumi, sat on the floor just in case.  
"Um, I think so. Isn't from like... this general area." Kumi pointed towards her pants. Gaara nodded, and coughed slightly, staring at the ceiling..  
"I meant the process. Not where they come from. Though I am amazed you know that." He whispered the last part, Kumi looked at him with wide, learning eyes.  
"Nope. I don't think I do." She continued to look at him with those wide eyes, it started to burn him.  
"Well good, don't ever try and have children, don't even venture upon the topic ever again. In fact. Distance yourself from the thought of having a family of your own." He tried to avoid telling her anything more. Kumi just gave him a puzzled look.  
"But what about you and Sasumi? Don't you want children?" Gaara looked away, and coughed blushing, Sasumi just had a wide eyed, look that stated slight fear and amazement.  
"That... Is confidential. And... I am not sure if we should have kids. And never believe your body. Believe your mind." He finished talking about it with. "No more on that subject please."  
"Well, you guy's are kind of like my parents. Sasumi healed me and Soku when we were hurt and took care of us, and you Gaara took care of us when Sasumi left. Isn't that what parenting is about." Kumi looked at him with the still wide and learning look.  
"Kumi, can we please just drop it?" Gaara put his fingers to his head and began to rub his temples. Sasumi quickly walked over and picked up Kumi in a hug and smiled at her.  
"I think that is enough Kumi." Sasumi quickly leaned in and gave Gaara a quick kiss before she left with Kumi.

"Kumi? How would you like some lunch?" Sasumi asked after a few minutes of walking, Kumi grinned.  
"Sure! I would love some lunch!" She chirped. Sasumi opened the front door, and saw Kankurou who was sitting on the couch, Kumi ran up and jumped on his lap as well and showed him the sword. Kankurou started to tickle Kumi, who was giggling and laughing.  
"Hey Kankurou, I am going to be making lunch, you want some?" Sasumi turned to Kankurou after putting her sword against the wall.  
"Yeah, sure, thanks Sasumi." He started to tickle Kumi harder, and soon she couldn't breathe, he let up. Sasumi was in the Kitchen and put a ball of ramen noodles in a pot and started the rice cooker. Only ten minutes later the food was ready.  
"Lunch is ready!" Sasumi stated. She made a bowl for herself and for Kankurou and Kumi.  
"Where's Temari?" Sasumi said as she blew on the glob of noodles she held with her chopsticks.  
"I don't know, I guess out, she said she had business to attend to and Soku is on a mission right now." Kankurou skipped blowing on his ramen and gobbled it right up. Sasumi thought of Choji.  
"Hey Kumi? Why aren't you on missions right now?" Sasumi had finished a majority of the giant glob an it was too cool, she started to drag it along with the rest of the noodles. Sasumi finished her bite of rice.  
"I only go on stealth missions. Gaara says I am really stealthy." Kumi looked proud.  
"Well that's really cool." Sasumi finished dragging the noodles and popped them in her mouth. It was late, and the day was almost gone by the time Temari got back as well as Soku. Gaara came home around 9 o' clock P.M. Sasumi looked at the clock worried, she kept looking at the door as well.  
"Jesus Sasumi. Stop worrying. I am sure she just got eaten by the damn buzzards or something. Nothing to worry about." Gaara held Sasumi in his arms on the couch. Kankurou sat, in a slouching position, he too, looking at the clock, and stated he wanted to see a certain show. Sasumi looked at Kankurou, he was masking slight fear, and badly. It was 9:59 P.M, Sasumi had it, it was only seconds away from Ten o' clock. She got up and walked over to the door, but it opened itself. Shokidenai walked in. She had a few cuts and bruises. And was bleeding a little. She yawned, and trudged past them, she cricked her neck, ignoring them.  
"Shocky? What in hell have you been doing? You look horrible, what happened." Sasumi started towards her but Shokidenai turned around  
"I'm fine." She snapped at Sasumi. "Sorry, I just popped a nerve there. Nothings wrong. I was just clumsy and ran into a few things. Like that wonderful rock wall you have here surrounding this village. I ran into that thing my first day here. Hurt like hell but I lived." She shrugged, then walked up the stairs. Sasumi heard her door open, then close, and her bathroom door open and close. She heard the shower start. She sat back down slightly nervous then got up and grabbed something and mixed it with a drink and waited downstairs for Shokidenai. Kankurou got up from his slouching position.  
"I don't have to watch that show. I am going to bed." He trudged off and went into his room. Gaara leered after him. As Kankurou was passing Sasumi's bathroom he saw the handle move and Shokidenai walked out, only in an towel, and she just walked past him, and to Sasumi's room.  
"I am forgetting more and more it seems." She yawned again, and disappeared into the room. He blushed slightly, and went into his room. Only moments later Shokidenai was downstairs. Sasumi walked up to her and grabbed her aside and handed her the cup with the awkward smelling goop. Shokidenai just stared at it.  
"This isn't supposed to kill me is it? Because if it is, it won't do much." She stared at the goop again. Sasumi shook her head.  
"It is to heal those damn injuries. That's all. Will you please drink it and stop staring at it?" Sasumi pleaded slightly.  
"Blegh, Bottoms up." Shokidenai gulped down the grotesque drink and found it's odd taste pleasing.  
"Tastes like... Apple Juice." She grinned sleepily.

Chapter 6

"Apple juice? It tastes like apple juice?" Sasumi looked questionably at Shokidenai who was thinking while licking the residue off of her lips.  
"I am pretty sure that is what it tasted like. But I could be wrong."She shrugged then jolted upstairs with surprising speed. Sasumi just glanced at Gaara and Kumi, who was still up, and Soku who fell asleep on the couch. Kumi was sharpening, and cleaning her new sword. Gaara smiled lightly, he patted the seat next to him. Sasumi walked over to him and sat down. He pulled her closer, until his face was imbedded in her hair. He took a deep breath. She still smells the same as she did years ago, not that he would think that she smelled any different. She snuggled closer, and stared at the blank TV. Kankurou had turned it off when he left for upstairs.  
"I wonder what is going on..." Sasumi whispered lightly, Gaara looked down at her.  
"Hmm?" He continued to look at her, his eyes soft.  
"It's just. After so many years, she seems. The same. Nothing, is different really. Nothing that I can see anyway." Sasumi snuggled even closer. Kankurou walked downstairs and went into the kitchen and opened the fridge and grabbed a bottled water and chugged it down.  
"Hey Gaara?" Sasumi continued to look at Kankurou who finished the water and wiped his mouth dry with his sleeve. Gaara glanced down again.  
"What?" Gaara's voice was as soft as his eyes, calm and lucid.  
"Do you think that Kankurou and Shocky should be together?" Sasumi snuggled as close as she could her head nuzzled Gaara's Adams apple.  
"_What_!" He slightly growled that, _it was enough that _she _was staying at his house, but to be going out with _his_ brother was just crazy_! "No. Don't even think about it Sasumi." Gaara held her tight, he stopped holding her that tight as he realized he could be causing bruises. Sasumi yawned and stretched. She kissed Gaara before she got out of his grasp and started up the stairs. Kankurou plopped back down on the couch. He sighed out of boredom, He looked at the ceiling. Gaara just looked at his brother. He thought "_Kankurou wouldn't be able to handle a relationship. He is just too... what was a word that could fit Kankurou? I guess _Experimental_. He never had a relationship.. I don't think. He always is watching the girls. It would just cause trouble. For him and me_." Gaara sighed and started to stare at the ceiling as well. He didn't want to sleep. He couldn't get into a good sleeping pattern anyway. He closed his eyes, but Kankurou cleared his throat. Gaara opened his eyes and looked at Kankurou, but Kankurou said nothing. Gaara turned back away, his brother's plain, no face paint, face was rather foreign to him. Sasumi came back downstairs, dressed in her nightgown she had taken a shower and was refreshed. Shokidenai was following after her, practically falling on her face.  
"I can't believe I can't go to sleep you know?" Shokidenai's voice was raspy and tired. She slammed her hand on her face and dragged it down.

"I can't believe your still breathing." Gaara growled, but smiled at Sasumi whom he thought was going to bed. Shokidenai stuck her tongue out at him.  
"Sumi!" Shokidenai whined. "Put your boyfriend on a leash. I don't like being pestered by little people when I am tired." She whined really loud. Soku yawned and got up and moved to his room and Shokidenai to his seat which now laid vacant and sat with her legs curled up to her chest. She groaned slightly as Gaara glared at her. She hid her face, not out of fear or submission but because she didn't like him and wanted the glaring to stop.  
"_I HATE LITTLE PEOPLE_!" She practically screamed. "Even if I am a bit short myself." She was a inch shorter than Sasumi (when Sasumi stood erect), but the difference was unnoticeable. Sasumi looked over at Shokidenai from Gaara's grasp and smiled lightly.  
"Come on Shocky. Stop beating on your height, Your only sixteen you know. You just haven't had a growth spurt. Remember how tall you said your dad and mom were. I am sure you'll be close to their height." Sasumi smiled and then got out of Gaara's grasp to pet Shokidenai on the head, she smiled and looked less sleepy.  
"Yeah, My dad was pretty tall. He would always be there when I needed him." At the last of that sentence her smile faded. Sasumi saw the slight sadness welling in Shokidenai's eyes and smiled and turned on the TV.  
"How about a Scary Movie? I bet that will cheer you up." Sasumi went and got a really scary movie. Shokidenai uncurled her legs and put them on the floor, she started to get up.  
"Sorry Sasumi. I.. Just don't want to watch anything. I just want to go to bed, or at least try to OK?" Shokidenai smiled a small smile. Sasumi looked at her with an Awkward glance.  
"But you love scary movies. It's the thirteen ghost. I thought you loved that movie." Sasumi was clearly shocked at Shokidenai's sudden turn in disinterest. Shokidenai just walked up the stairs. Sasumi went and sat back next to Gaara. Kankurou took the tape from her and popped it in. He started the video. Shokidenai heard the movie starting up, She did love scary movies. Just... Something was bothering her right then. She sighed and didn't plop on the bed, she walked over and did a few hand signs and fell asleep in Sasumi's closet. Later she heard, subconsciously, Sasumi enter the room and get dressed and go to sleep shortly after the movie ended. Temari put Kumi and Soku to bed with Kankurou. Shokidenai awoke possibly three hours later. It was 3 o' clock in the morning. She couldn't stand it any longer. She got up and packed her bags, forcing her muscles to not cripple underneath the stress. She shook her head fiercely. She walked over to the desk with a piece of paper in her hand and started to scribble on it.  
Dear Everyone,  
Thank you so much for the short, but, rather pleasant stay. It has come to my attention that, some, mainly Gaara, in fact only Gaara, has seen it unfit for me to stay. It is not by his distaste for me that I am leaving, but for my own health, and also so I do not cause a racket or two over something silly such as glares and hate. I truly loved staying with all of you, even you Gaara, but only because it made Sasumi happy. I might be back. I might not. I am not sure even if I will think about coming back towards the village. But if you do wish to look for me, you will just have to wait. I may pop up faster than you think. Gaara, I know that we have our differences but possibly, in the future maybe, could we have a one on one chat? Just the two of us just to see what we have in common so that we won't bicker as much as to ease Sasumi's stress? And Temari, it was lovely going to the club with you, I did enjoy myself really I did. And Kankurou, Thank you, thank you, thank you! For finding my pin, you couldn't even think of how important it is to me. Little Kumi and Soku, I am sorry I did not spend much time with you. But I will possibly later when I come back. I hope all of you are having fun! And Sasumi... Make sure you an Gaara don't have any babies while I am gone. It might give Soku and Kumi Ideas.  
Much love, Ciao,  
Shokidenai Akira Hana  
When that was written Shokidenai scribbled a little face making the peace sign. She folded it and laid it on the table and pet it. She opened Sasumi's window and disappeared from the room into the night.

MORNING! DING DING DING!

Sasumi grumbled as she lifted her head, she glanced around the room. She stumbled up, it was earlier than usual for her to get up. Something was wrong. She walked over to her wall, did the appropriate hand signs. She opened her mouth to say good morning to Shokidenai whom decided she wanted to sleep in Sasumi's closet but when Sasumi didn't see her she was fully awake and was worried. She glanced around the closet. She then spotted the folded piece of paper. She opened it and skimmed the words. She put the paper down, and sat on the bed, a hand to her head, she sighed.  
"I have to tell them." Sasumi lifted her head and went downstairs. She sat on the couch, moments later Gaara came down, then Kankurou, soon everyone was downstairs, they all knew something was wrong. Kumi rubbed her eyes, she yawned.  
"Everyone got up... and without any screaming, yelling, throwing things, or jumping on peoples beds." Sasumi stated the fact out loud. "And I assume that everyone feels that something is wrong. Right." Everyone nodded. "So do I, I couldn't help but wonder why Shokidenai would leave, and leave a note. Especially one that has no signs of anger in it. And says 'Love' more than once when it isn't talking about her poisons or anything that she cares deeply for." Sasumi held up the note and handed it to Gaara who speed-read the paper, he handed it over Kumi and Soku to Kankurou who handed it to Temari. Kumi finally got it after grabbing it from Temari who let Kumi rip it from her fingers. Sasumi however grabbed the paper before they could reach the last line. They all looked at Sasumi, there wasn't much that they could do now. They didn't know when she left and the real reason. Sasumi took a deep breath she looked at Gaara, then Temari, then Kankurou, then Soku and Kumi.  
"Everyone. I... don't know how to say this but... Shocky and I... are in the bingo book. At the top of the list. No joke, no _ha-ha's I'm only pulling your legs_." They just stared at her, Kumi shook here head in fear, she couldn't handle it. Kankurou moved forwards, Gaara glared, with disbelief and anger.  
"I can believe Shokidenai but _not you_. Not you Sasumi." Gaara looked at her with the same expression.  
"We have our middle names. Mine Kisea, hers Akira. That is the reason I believe she left for. I am sorry for lying to you, I knew that I should have told you but... it was too hard. She came to warn me. The men that were following her, were only following her because we... are best friends. I killed an entire village, and many others, Shocky can tell you if we ever find her again. Or maybe even Lady Tsunade. But you have to understand I wanted to leave for this _exact reason. Not because I hate you, but because I love you.!_ If they had found us out sooner they would have killed you... _All of you_." Sasumi looked down, she stood up and stared at her hands.  
"I still don't believe you." Gaara tried to fight the knowledge he held in his mind, but it couldn't be fought. He just clenched his teeth and mad his hands into fists. He jumped up.  
"_Damn it_!" He threw himself back into the couch, he was trying to refrain from killing Sasumi, He still loves her.  
"I am sorry Gaara. Everyone. I have to go, before I put this village in Jeopardy. Good bye. Possibly forever." Sasumi turned and ran into her room and got her pack ready, then changed and walked down stairs again. She glanced at all of them then left. She went out the gates. A large group of shadowy figures approached the horizon.

She was surrounded in less than five minutes, she got in a fighting position, the shadowy figures eyed her suspiciously, Gaara, Kumi and Soku, as well as Akiki gaped as they saw her surrounded. The leader laughed.  
"Kill her, We must Kill her" He grinned a devious grin.  
"No!" Soku wanted to shout, but only whispered.  
"Well, looks like you've found me. But the only question is. Can you fight me?" Sasumi smiled, she seemed assured that she could win.  
"Nay, it is if that friend of yours will bring that damned uncle of hers and his minions. Or if she comes with a few poisons up her sleeve. We have been watching all of your moves._ You are as good as dead_." He sneered and in a flash. All of the people in the circle were gone. Including Sasumi.


	3. Chapter 7 through 9

Chapter 7

Gaara walked home, his head drooped low, he sighed. Kumi and Soku were lightly crying... well Soku was anyway. Gaara opened the door with a sunken heart. He looked up and jumped slightly at what he saw. Kankurou and Shokidenai were sitting down with four other seats open with plates of cakes and some teas; all in the middle of the table. Shokidenai had a few pieces of paper and was discussing with Kankurou, clearly, about Sasumi. Her mouths kept forming the words '_We have to train... In two months the showdown will be set_." Gaara shook his head, he was obviously going loopy because she left earlier in the morning. Kankurou turned and waved them over and pointed to the seats.  
"Hey, you guy's gonna just stand there or help Akira and I come up with a plan? Temari too but she hasn't come out of her room yet, she's still sobbing on the phone to Tsunade. Akira didn't leave really for any reason except to try and get the guys that took Sasumi off of Sasumi's back so she left hoping they would follow her." Kankurou picked up two new scrolls that looked vaguely similar to the Puppet scrolls he always had. Gaara sighed and sat next to Kumi who jumped and sat next to Shokidenai. Soku sat next to Gaara. Temari came out of the other room.  
"She..." Temari blew her nose vigorously. "She said '_You should have let Sasumi leave. It was Gaara's own fault_.' then she hung up." Temari bawled she then sat down next to Kankurou and sighed sadly.  
"Cakes anyone?" Shokidenai offered kindly, she gave a wry smiled and then sighed. "Listen... I didn't plan on this, but If we try we could over come them. But... if you still feel the way you do Gaara. I doubt that any of us could hope to save her." She spit out the lie quickly, as to make him feel guilty. It worked... only slightly.  
"I loved her... And she lied to me. I trusted her and clung to her every word like a blind puppy." He put a hand on his head and stared down at the plate that was pushed over to him that had a Cake on it. He picked it up and inspected it with a dead curiosity.  
"If you say '_Even food tastes dull with out her_.' I am going to die. Because I know that you're a fighter and you want her back no matter what right?" Shokidenai started, Gaara nodded. "Then I suggest you pick up your heart pieces and trudge up stairs and scream out your sorrows into a pillow before you explode emotions like a gay parade. OK Gaara?" She spoke his name softly and pet his hand like he would have expected a close friend. He got up and sighed.  
"If it doesn't work your to blame." He walked up the stairs and a light hiss arose from behind them. It was Akiki. She glared at Shokidenai, who didn't do anything. She just sat their staring at the small wolf. The wolf started to quite down after a few seconds of eye contact and decided to hop on Kumi's lap. Akiki sniffed cautiously at Shokidenai's hand that had risen to pet her.

Gaara had walked back downstairs by the time that Shocky (too lazy to say Shokidenai anymore...) had laid out the plans she had thought of. Kankurou hadn't objected, nor have Temari, Kumi, and Soku. Gaara was the last to look at them. Instead of Shocky speaking about her plans it was Kankurou. He took it quite seriously.  
"All right, Me an..."He coughed lightly blushing."Akira.. Had both been talking about her plan before any of you had even ventured in the room. We got these cakes and the teas only a while ago. We had started talking about it there, and we finished talking about it here." He was all serious now. "I think that the Idea is pretty good. She suggests that you" he pointed to Gaara " should write a letter saying you want a showdown for Sasumi and you will only have one _'user_' on the '_field_' at a time... Kind of like a video game." He shrugged "And she says that all of us should take that time and fight to train. She actually has a nifty process for that. She knows a couple of people who can make '_bad_' copies of us so we can fight them head on." Kankurou smiled lightly and his hands were playing out the words, it comes from being a puppeteer. Shocky put his hands down and then she smiled warmly.  
"I think they get it now. No need to wave your hands about. Just joking, I find it cute." She smiled again and then turned to the rest and looked at them with a grave face. "He is correct about that. It will be similar to that for the training. Only if you think you can stand the hatred you feel for a certain group. I think that we could make them train with us... Just in case... A certain move won't take them out." She paused abruptly between the us and A. She didn't want to tell them. Not yet. She looked over to Gaara who was looking at her seriously. She knew she had to say something to lead them in the right direction. Even at her own expense. She sighed.  
"What is this 'group'? Who is it?" Gaara looked at him with a sharp glare in his eyes, he had a feeling he already knew deep down.  
"The Akatsuki. It's them. I am related to '_Leader_', not by blood I assure you. My grandmother and Grandfather took in Leader when he was young and took care of him, then he left the family and started the Akatsuki." She sighed and continued "That is one reason why I don't really like to debate on the '_male species_' if you will. I had to live with them for a few years." She wriggled her toes under the table, one foot gripping the other. "I am sorry about what they did. It wasn't within my jurisdiction. Even though I would have loved to have smacked them around a bit." She sighed and then looked at Kankurou. "I also regret to tell you that I am the one that made the poison that was inside Sasori-Dono's '_fake_' body. I am usually not that nice for the seemingly '_generous_' time limit that poison had given you. Any others and well. You wouldn't be here right now. Automatic death for most of the others." She sighed and looked away, then looked over to Temari. "I wish I could say '_all's well that ends well_' but... that is such a lie I am jealous of it." Her eyes flashed green, a dark forest green.  
"What.. Was that? What did your eyes do. They just flashed... to... Green?" Kankurou was the only one who noticed, he whispered it lightly under his breath. He stared at her eyes, she shook her head as if to clear a thought.

'_It's all right_' her look told him, he couldn't help but fidget on the seat he was sitting at. She started talking about the rest of the plan, he couldn't help but stare at her eyes. They seemed to just draw him in. When it was Gaara's turn to talk Kankurou seemed to go back to Reality at the last second.  
"-So? We are expected to fight duplicates of ourselves. And expect to live?" He raised his eyebrow-less brow in an attempt to look slightly serious, but at the same time upset. Temari looked at her fans, that she dragged downstairs just for this meeting. She sighed.  
"So... That really is the plan? It's so... slow.. We will never save her! I bet that they will just gut her like a fish." Temari sighed, she made the motion of an incision on her chest and then pretended to fall backwards and die. Shocky sighed and then put her hands down on the table and pushed herself up.  
"Obviously in all of you, there isn't one soul that want's to save Sasumi. Not an ounce of bravery I assume?" She looked at all of them, Temari looked over and felt the carpet, Gaara glared at her, and bit his tongue then looked away childishly, Kumi and Soku lowered their heads, Kankurou stood up and rubbed the back of his neck.  
"I... Kind of see it as the Answer." Shocky's eyes started to gleam, She grinned and held her hands cupped together under her chin. "So where will we train? The Akatsuki Aren't allowed here." Shocky's face shrunk into an thinking scowl as Kankurou said that.  
"Well, I was thinking My village, It is being cleaned up by Poch and also Sayf so... I am thinking we go there. It is a great place to train. It is in the storm country." She looked at them with a smile. Gaara sighed, He stood up and shrugged.  
"Might as well." He sighed again. Temari stood up and blew a strand of stray hair out of her eyes, Kumi and Soku grinned and jumped up.  
"What about your '_work_' Hmm? Or are you going to dump it all on Baki?" She grinned, Kankurou laughed a small laugh.  
"I think that Baki won't mind. He wouldn't like it but he wouldn't mind." Shocky's eyes lit up again. She grinned and whistled loudly. A shadow appeared on the wall and a figure stepped out, and another figure came out from a wet spot on the ground. As soon as both figures were there Kankurou, Gaara, Soku, And Kumi got in fighting Positions.  
"This is pointless. "_Very pointless._" Why did you have to call us" The plant-thing stated, half of his face (and the rest they could see) black, the other white.  
"Zetsu, relax. It isn't pointless. See Kisame's adjusting better than you." Shocky pointed to The fish-creature who was staring and poking Gaara with his sword. "Stop that Kisame. You don't want to get on my bad side." She stopped her eyes wide then she relaxed and sat down her hands under her face with an contemplating look.  
"_He is right; no one will come for me. I am sure Gaara is happy I am gone and so is everyone else. Shocky I am sorry I guess I am weak._" Sasumi's thought bounced around in Shocky's head.  
"_What are you talking about?_" Shocky retorted, she knew this was a telepathic conversation.  
"_H-how can you hear me?_" Her thought seemed startled, Shocky dismissed it.  
"_What are you talking about? You know your not weak. You survived what most people, and I, would die from. You are amazing._" Shocky tried to sound convincing.  
"_Yeah well why do I feel like I am worthless than?_" Her voice seemed to be slightly angry.  
"_Just hang in there OK? We'll get you, I promise. Just hang in there Sumi._" Shocky's voice grew soft and caring, soothing, like a voice one would hear as a hurt child.  
"_Yeah, well. Don't even bother._" Sasumi spat out. Shocky ignored it and then sighed, She grabbed her bags and smiled at everyone.

_Time skip of three days because nothing interesting occurs and I don't want to write about anything too interesting._

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Kankurou stop harassing my ankles!" Shocky screamed as Kankurou was using some strips of cloth that Poch had generously packed into a bag also filled with lunches. A clone of Shocky stood over next to the fidgeting real one. "Damn these accursed weak ankles! _Ow-chi-chi-chi._" She closed one eye and bit her hand as Kankurou tied a tight knot that clearly was too tight. He patted it and Shocky kicked him with it and automatically re-coiled and grabbed her foot. Kankurou rubbed his eye, which was the unfortunate candidate chosen by her foot. He sighed and then started on her other one.  
"I would tell you about how stupid it was for you to run and try and kick your opponent but... it seems that something came out of it." He sighed and he tied another knot only a moment later. Shocky didn't react when he patted her other foot and just looked at him.  
"Oh really? Well what's that?" She looked at him and folded her arms, then her legs.  
"You hit something. Even if it was my eye." He scoffed. She blinked then noticed how his eye was slightly red (he stopped wearing the face paint because it kept coming off). She sighed and slipped off of the table and closed his eye and gave it a small kiss. He blushed deeply and looked away, She smiled and patted his cheeks.  
"_You didn't have to do that._" He said through slightly pursed lips. She giggled and smiled at him. Her double looked away and sighed with slight annoyance. Sayf started to walk over and see what was going on.  
"But by the look of it you wanted it. And besides, I am still grateful for you finding my pin!" She smiled, she had her hand at her mouth now. Sayf walked over and put an arm around Shocky, she smiled and moved her ankles around.  
"All better Sayf. See?" She jumped up and down, and then stopped as he sighed.  
"Come on... Spit it out. I know what you have..." He held out his other hand under her mouth (his usual gloves were no-where to be seen), he motioned for her to spit it out by opening and closing his hand half way. She groaned. She spit out a small green pill.  
"But it tasted good! And it helps me keep calm... or at least keeps me from getting jealous." She looked away and bit her tongue lightly, a light pink scar lay on it.  
"Well your supposed to get Jealous, You have to learn how to use the jealousy you feel for people to your advantage." Sayf said, his ember eyes crackled with enthusiasm. "Come on, I know your jealous right now. Of someone. Who is it?" He grinned his eyes continued to crackle with enthusiasm.  
"_It's you. I am jealous of you damn it! I have _always_ been jealous of _you!" She pushed his arm away and stormed over to her duplicate who wasn't grinning anymore. The duplicate started to hug Shocky, but she threw the duplicate. It pierced it's body with a crooked, but sharp branch and popped. She turned, she hissed and stared at him. "_You, are the one I am most envious of. You got to be with my father, even my mother, longer than I was. Hell, technically I never was with her. She only lived for a week after I was born! Damn it._" She put her hands over her eyes and started to cry. "_I am done. Done being protected by those damn pills that my father made, even if they do taste nice. I don't care anymore._" She glared at him her eyes green, Zetsu intervened and put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with his cold expression.

"I... Should have known. You loved your father, more than anything and... he was taken away from you. I remember how you felt when he died. I also remember why you tried to kill me. Your eyes were green that day, I finally realized it." He sighed and walked up to her, he stopped himself from putting his hand on her shoulder, Zetsu's look kept him a fair distance away. He sighed. "I am sorry. But... it wasn't your fault, and... Even if, I got to train, even on coincidence fight with your father. I am sure that I just got in his way, He always wanted to spend time with your mom and you." He finally stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. She hissed at his touch. Temari stopped fighting her double, Kumi and Soku stopped drinking their juice boxes.  
"_DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT LILITH THAT WAY! You'll _never_ understand!_" She pushed his hand over more vigorously than before. She glared at him, her eyes a dark dead green. She jumped up into a tree and started to cry, Zetsu wandered away as a sickly cry arose from some edge of the forest that surrounds the village loosely.  
"Damn. She never called her mom by her mom's name, ever. She must be pissed and jealous. That is a dangerous combination for her." He shook his head and then motioned for Temari to get back to fighting. Gaara had been looking at his gourd, but didn't really do anything. His duplicate had already popped. Kankurou's duplicate has been '_out of commission_' for a while now. He jumped up onto a tree branch that was across from hers, she looked over to him, she couldn't help but let a loose smile wander her lips. He grinned lightly, and patted the area next to him.  
"Come on. You aren't that mad at Sayf are you?" He sighed as she sat next to him, with enough space between them that is. She leaned back, holding on to the branch and stared at the sky, she was growing calmer.  
"I don't know what to do anymore. I really don't. I guess. I don't feel whole right now. I feel as if half of me is here, and the other half, strewn somewhere, in the water maybe." She sighed and spread her fingers as she sat up right. She closed her eyes, and let out a small murmur of some kind. He was glad she was getting used to him. He jumped slightly as Kumi jumped up and sat in the middle of them. She grinned at Kankurou and giggled.  
"Get out of here Kumi. Go back to your training. Your clone hasn't popped yet today." He groaned, he had a nice feeling before she appeared.  
"Sayf told me to tell you to not think about doing anything to Shokidenai." She leaned in and whispered a few things after his face showed confusion. Kankurou's eyebrows furrowed as She giggled in the end.  
"Tell him to leave us alone alright and tell him this was meant for him." He struck out his middle finger and pointed it at him. Then he pet Kumi on the head and she jumped down.  
"That wasn't very nice. But... I guess he deserved it. You.. Were happy.. Weren't you?" She looked at him with a serious face that automatically made his heart jump.  
_  
Time skip. Four days... Something even._

Kankurou still hadn't met the mysterious Poch, and they have been sleeping in the forest for a couple of days because the lack of villages nearby and they weren't allowed in Shocky's village yet. Sayf would have let them stay at his house if it were, his house is small, big enough to accommodate them all. Kankurou looked at the big building in front of them, Shocky jumped up and clung to the giant steel iron gates that had giant H's at the top in what looked like calligraphy. He whistled at the height of it. It was possibly three meters tall, the gate and the house, Was possibly seven or eight. He walked up behind Shocky and pushed the gate open, it slowly creaked open from the lack of use over the many years. Sayf grinned at them and opened his arms.  
"Welcome to the Hana Mansion! We will meet Poch in the garden or somewhere.. Which he specifically groomed himself all these years." He grinned. "I am sure that you never thought that Shokidenai was this loaded right? Well her parents were actually the richest we knew." He smiled and then pushed the doors open further and a arm jut through and a laugh was heard as Kankurou jumped up out of the arms way. The hand stopped and then slung back into the gates. "That would have been Poch by the way." Kankurou warily walked into the gate and then looked around, Temari followed and slumped against one of the walls. Kumi and Soku jumped the gate. Shocky ran up to the wall of the mansion and gave it a wide hug. Two arms came out of the wall and hugged her as well. Then a pair of eyes followed the arms and a cackle followed that. Shocky backed up from the wall.  
"Shock! What a surprise. I swear that you look just like your mother when she was your age. Well. She didn't have the same body build, she had a bit more muscle. But that is what makes you different." A large mouth came up and the eyes looked upon Kankurou and Temari with the same curiosity as Gaara looked upon the cake only seven or so day's earlier. The large eyes stayed on Kankurou the longest then they faded into the wall, as did the other parts.  
"Come along. Let me show you to your rooms. I have picked them out of the moods you look like your in most of the time." They entered through the large red oak doors that clanked and creaked as they were open and shut. Gaara sighed, as if in peace, because this place was large and the abundance of colors was just beautiful.  
"I am not sure if you know this, but our clan is very particular about colors. We mostly tend to have one color per house. But for this house, no one color would satisfy Kane. He was often found in the red rooms. Especially when Lilith, Shock's mother, was alive. He loved her so deeply. Shock. Would you like to allow them to '_scamper off_' anywhere or just keep them locked in their rooms. Just lift one finger for the first one, and two for the second." She lifted up one finger and then disappeared up a large stair case. Kankurou looked around and saw that Kumi, Temari, Gaara, and Soku all disappeared. Poch was motioning for a giant Red room that looked twice as big as Gaara's office. He sighed and walked in and sat on the bed and soon plopped backwards in the plushness of the mattress.

Chapter 8

Kankurou opened his eyes, it was possibly 7:30 P.M., he had gone through most of the rooms in the house already, well the ones on this floor anyway. He noticed Poch come into the room, it wasn't that important, he had slightly gotten used to him appearing and disappearing. Poch looked at him with his giddy little smile he had used ever since Shocky had gotten there.  
"Shock will be here momentarily to put a sign on your door with your name on it. And dinner will be ready in half an hour." His eyes that showed no emotion were wide, and he kept grinning. He faded back into the wall. Kankurou got up. He felt slightly dirty, he still hadn't taken a '_proper_' shower yet. He walked over into the bathroom which he had checked out only a few moments ago just to go... well, to the bathroom. He opened the shower door and grabbed his tooth brush and his hair brush and decided it was best if he did all three. He stripped and stepped into the shower and stood against the wall, allowing a few moments for the steam to rise and accumulate against the ceiling. He watched it swirl and then stepped into the steaming jets of water, it felt like home. Here it was drastically cooler. In fact the weather here was depressingly like the weather in Kohana (?). He grabbed the soap and put it in the hand rag and it started to get soapy. He put the soap back and washed his face and then his neck. He washed quickly and then he started on his hair. He grabbed the shampoo but it slipped out of his already soapy fingers and fell on his foot. He cursed and picked it up again and squirted out some shampoo and washed his hair. He washed his hair then brushed his teeth quickly, and the water changed to cold which made him jump. He cursed again but continued to brush his teeth. He got out and dried off and then left to go into the bedroom. He was glad that the bathrooms were connected to the bedrooms and he smiled, but the smile soon disappeared. Shocky was sitting on '_his_' bed and was looking around. When her eyes locked in on him, she automatically hid her face by pulling the curtains.  
"Watch it Kankurou. You should warn people. Who knows what dangers lurk under that towel." She teased lightly from behind the curtain. He took the tooth brush out of his mouth and walked back into the bathroom and spit out the last of the tooth paste.  
"I was taking a shower. Isn't it normal for someone to knock?" He sighed, his face was getting red. He heard her laugh and also heard the plush bed start to surround her.  
"_FYI I did knock_. Your thick head just didn't pick up the signals. Jesus, this room just got ten times hotter." She gasped the last part and she pretended to give up by waving her half-off white sock in the air with her feet. He scoffed lightly then smiled. He grabbed his boxers and put them on, She raised her head, and just as she did he pounced.

"_I can't, I can't stop laughing! It tickles_." She coughed through giggles of laughter. Kankurou just kept twitching his fingers on her stomach with one hand as the other sat her in a more comfortable position away from the edge. He was smiling.  
"D'oh, I'm tickling you." He said through slightly clenched teeth. "_Damn you can't stop wiggling around when your getting tickled can you_?" He commented as he had to move her from away from the edge for the third time. She started to cough lightly as she was laughing.  
"_I can't, I can't breathe_." She giggled and then coughed a few times. Kankurou stopped tickling her, her face was red and she had a smile on her face. "God damn you." She said and then she got up only to fall backwards from slight exhaustion from the lack of breathe. She sighed and hung on to the curtain that surrounded the bed.  
"I take it you like getting tickled?" He commented, his arm swaying slightly just waiting to tickle her again.  
"_Who in the name of_- Oh forget it. I don't like getting tickled, I literally hate it. Be glad I didn't uppercut your ass for tickling me." She sighed, she then grabbed the neglected sign that had been laying on the floor and walked to the door and opened it then left after putting the sign on the hook. He looked at the clock, It was 7:49 he laughed about how slow the time had flown. He looked back towards the door then walked over and put his usual suit and face paint on and walked towards the dining room. He spotted Temari and Gaara, they came out of their rooms. Then Soku and Kumi. They all filed into the Dining room. It was large, Kankurou had already looked at it. There were name plates and Shocky's was at the head of the table. Kumi sat to Shocky's left, Soku, her right, then Gaara across from Kankurou then Temari. Poch's arms flew out from all directions and laid down foods of all kinds. Kankurou eyed it all, Temari smiled and glanced from one food to the other. Kumi and Soku just gawked. It was a feast! Shocky got up and walked out of the room, it seemed as if she was in a trance. Kankurou looked after her and got up and sighed, he was hungry but he wanted to know what was going on. He walked over to the large living room, it was possibly ten times the size of Gaara's office. He walked over to her. She was staring out of the window, and marveling at the beauty of the night.

"You know how peaceful it is out here during the night? Even storms seem to just fade away and give break to the nights glory." she sighed, and completely ignored everyone waiting in the dining room. "I hope that they know they can eat without me. I just... don't feel like eating, I just appeared just to make Poch less angry. He doesn't like it when I don't at least show up for a meal." She grinned lightly at a chuckle she was trying to hold back, but just barely. Kankurou walked over to her, his hunger eating away at his insides. He grinned a empty puppet-like grin. Shocky turned and smiled at him, then walked over and looked him in the eye.  
"Go eat. I bet your hungry. Have all you need. I am sure that Poch will enjoy the look of all of your content faces." She giggled lightly then put a hand on his shoulder. "If you need to talk, we can talk later. Or tomorrow, which will be the start of three weeks rain." She turned back to the window and stared out at the stars. Kankurou smiled and walked back into the dining room and ate plenty. Shocky walked up the stairs and walked into her bed room, it's walls were painted green, she smiled. She sat on her bed and felt the fabric, it was soft and plush. She sat on the bed it gave way a little, she laid down and sighed. She couldn't eat, she didn't want to eat, she wouldn't eat. Just thinking about it made her sick. She looked over at her clock, and kicked it off of the table. It won't be needed so why have it there? She felt her ankles, they were better, she had lied only four days earlier. She glanced over at the clock again, now laying on it's side and picked it up and put it back anyway. She smiled as the clock continued it's job. She crawled into the middle of the bed and fell asleep. She rolled over, and fell off of the bed, she opened her eyes. Sighing she got up and walked into the bathroom. She took a quick shower, trying to not think about anything. She couldn't not think. She sighed it was pointless. She slipped into her slippers and grabbed her clothes and slipped them on as well. She opened her door, and walked out. Kankurou was sitting on her bed. He was smiling, a twisted, seemingly perverted smile.  
"Aw, and I was hoping you'd walk out completely naked." He smiled, she shook her head. She sighed.  
"Don't be silly, _me walk out naked_? ... Only on holidays." She smiled jokingly and walked over to the bed and sat next to him.  
"Then how about on my birthday?" He grinned. She snickered, a hand at her mouth.  
"It's not a national holiday." She smiled, her eyes twinkled. He grinned, he was getting somewhere.  
"Even if I be good?" He moved his face closer. She put up a finger between their faces and waved it.  
"Tut-tut-tut. That isn't polite. Bad boy already. What a shame." She smiled again. Kankurou just looked at her. Then he laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.  
"Guess your right. Sorry." He laughed. He looked at her, she wasn't shying away.  
"What? Is there something wrong?" She looked at him, and looked at him closely. He sighed and smiled.  
"Nothing, nothing, just thinking. So will there really be a three week storm?" He looked at her questionably.

"As serious as things go. For right now. Yes... three weeks. I had been pushing my luck with those ass holes who have Sasumi. We only have a few days into next month to prepare, then we head off to save her from her impending doom." Shocky looked seriously at Kankurou, who's face was filled with shock.  
"Are you... Serious? You.. Didn't get the date to be final?" Kankurou looked at her with a confused face.  
"It was a gamble to begin with. He would have killed her on the spot.. But luckily I got '_him_' to be lenient. Damn. Why am I telling you this?" She shook her head disapprovingly.  
"At least you tried. I am sure that, that ass hole wouldn't think twice before messing with us!" He pretended to flex and Shocky just grabbed her sides and started to laugh as he kept pretending to flex.  
"Stop... stop it! I'm warning you!" She giggled through teary sobs. Kankurou stopped and held her steady for a few moments.  
"I am glad I cheered you up." Kankurou smiled, He then slipped off of the bed and headed towards the door. "I am going to tell the others all right?" He smiled and turned to grin.  
"No, it's all right. I suggest you go to bed Kankurou. Tomorrow will be the worst day of your life." She grinned, her eyes flashed a solid black, then back to their usual calm brown color. Kankurou nodded, even if he didn't understand. He turned back towards the door and then made his way out into the hallway. He jumped down the stairs. He turned to '_his_' room and smiled to himself. He stopped at the door and turned to see Kumi, Soku, Temari and Gaara all looking at him. He blinked then realized what they thought.  
"what? What is it?" He said, just to make sure his speculations were correct.  
"Were you Harassing Shokidenai?" Temari said in a scolding type of voice. "No, I wasn't. I wouldn't... _Yet_." He whispered the last word so low that he himself couldn't hear it. He looked at Gaara who's expression sent chills up his spine.  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kankurou asked uneasily. His speculations proving to be true.  
"Say the truth. What did you do to her? She is our only way of finding Sasumi, we can't have her Knocked up." He said with a sniff, his arms folded. Kankurou sighed.  
"Guess you wouldn't stand for an '_I just made her laugh after having a depressingly serious conversation_' wouldn't explain it." He turned to the door and put his hand on the knob and let himself in. He left them to fume. He looked at the bed, he was curious about the room. He went over to the desk. He opened the top left drawer, It held a picture of a little girl and a man. The girl was about six. Shocky said her father died when she was about five... but she didn't say if she was close to six. He looked at it, It looked like Shocky, but... could it be her and her father? He looked it over and sighed. He didn't know. He flicked it from one hand to the other, it fell, he cringed. He would hear hell from Shocky if she found out. He knelt down and he looked at the glass. It was broken many times before. The metal frame had small indents, as if a child with super strength grabbed it and tried to break it. He picked through the glass, careful to not get cut, and noticed an extra piece of paper. It was smeared with little trails of blood. He couldn't read what it said, it was nearly impossible. He heard the door slam open. Shocky was standing there. Her eyes furious.  
"_Don't you dare touch that picture anymore! I knew I should have had you assigned to some other room! Not my fathers!_" She ran and grabbed the picture, and the twisted frame, complete with the broken glass. Kankurou's eyes widened, he looked over to the bed, then he looked over at her, her fingers bleeding, only slightly. Her eyes filling with tears.

Kankurou looked at her fingers, he moved forwards.  
"_Don't move! I don't want to hurt you_!" She stepped back against the closed door, she did a few hand signs and the picture frame was fixed, she put her thumb on it and started to slide down the wall. She cried, Kankurou, stepped closer, but she waved him away. He couldn't help but want to punch himself for doing this to her. He hurt her feelings.  
"_You've destroyed my trust. You have snooped into my fathers things_." She glared at him and vanished, without doing hand signs.

Chapter 9

_Time Skip- three weeks- motive during those three weeks: To kick ass.  
_  
Kankurou walked over to where Shocky had been staying. She had chosen a different room ever since the picture incident. He sighed, he knocked on her door, he could hear loud music by the band Queen. She probably wouldn't want to see him. He just had to apologize now. He heard the song _Bohemian Rhapsody_ go on. He sighed, and opened the door, she was laying with her knee's to her chest mouthing the words. He walked over and sat on her bed. She flinched slightly, then looked at him. She didn't move her mouth, he moved a bit closer and put a hand on her knee. She looked at it, she didn't move his hand. He opened his mouth but she put a hand up, silencing him. She looked at him, her eyes slightly red.  
"Don't. It's OK. I-I just over reacted. I'm the one who should be sorry." She looked at him, her eyes sincere. He sat closer and grabbed her hands and smiled, he was glad.  
"No, I should apologize. I shouldn't have looked into your dads drawers. I didn't know it was him room. I am sorry." He knelt closer and kissed her cheek, she flinched then pushed him playfully. He smiled, she got over things quickly, or considered it. He smiled and pulled her closer, she flinched lightly, his grip was secure. She lightly moved his arm away from her, he looked over and saw her facial expressions change back again. He sighed.  
"I'm sorry. What is it now?" he looked at her, his happiness fading. She twitched then grabbed her arm and howled like an injured cat.  
"My arm... that's all." She said she tried to act calm, but her eyes said a different story.  
"Will you let me see?" He put his arm gingerly on her arm, She got up after pushing his arm and moved to the other side of him. She nodded. He pulled up her sleeve. He saw a giant bruise, he was concerned. He poked it gingerly, she twitched, after a poking it a couple of times she stopped flinching and started to laugh.  
"What is it?" He looked at her and poked her arm again, less gingerly and she just burst into laughing tears.  
"My, my arm tickles now!" She giggled through her hand. He sighed and looked at her bruise.  
"Well how did you get the bruise?" He stopped poking her bruise. She looked over and sighed.  
"I let my temper get the best of me when I was fighting my clone. Silly me." She sighed, Kankurou sighed and pulled on her arm, she flinched, he stood up and motioned for her to stand up too. He walked to the door with her arm firmly in his grasp. He opened the door and she didn't falter, they stopped in the mini clinic that had been set up years and years ago. Poch looked at her arm and applied some kind of muck to her arm and then cleaned it off five minutes later. Shocky smiled.

_Skip to 3 days later because... we want to save Sasumi right?_

"_Hurry! Get your damn asses up_!" Shocky yelled as she was running down the halls, Kisame and Zetsu were following her. She turned quickly as Kankurou grabbed her hand, he nodded, with a serious face and handed her a pill that was red, and a bag of blue pills.  
"Poch advised you take these. He said they might help, he doesn't know." Kankurou said, his voice shaking a little. She smiled at him and put a hand on his.  
"Thanks. Poch, Thank you!" She shouted the last part, but whispered the first, her eyes meant it. She turned and started to run again.  
"Come on! We have to get to Sasumi's old Village! Do you want her to die or not!" She shouted, she punched the front doors open and turned to look at all of them, Soku and Kumi were ready. They had grown since they had got their, Shocky smiled at them, Temari and even Gaara '_grew_' if you could say that. They were more understanding, and even a bit more patient now. Shocky had grew to deeply respect Gaara, and even feel that Kankurou, even if he did snoop, was a good, and loyal friend. She was glad she knew them. She started to run again. It was early in the morning, not even 3 O'clock, it would take them possibly a little over 5 hours if they hurry to get their unscathed. Even though the villages were confusingly close, it had difficult terrain that they would have to cross. She groaned, they just got to the forest, she knew it would be tough, she shook the disastrous thoughts out of her head. It was tougher getting out of the village then getting into it. Even more so at night or early morning. Zetsu walked to the front, Shocky followed him, she had briefed both on the terrain last night. She could have chosen Deidara to get them there by his 'art' but that would have caused complications instead of solve. She looked over to Gaara, she couldn't help but feel sorry, she allowed her thoughts to be free for the pickings. She didn't care if anyone heard them. She sighed, she had her eyes closed. She felt them by her, she always thought better without people following her. She strayed to the back, even though she could feel them tense up. She just needed a few hours of peace. She took a deep breath, she put a red pill in her mouth, she sighed, a slightly miserable sigh. She ran back up front. She had opened her eyes again. Temari's constant fretting by whispering under her breath to keep going, just keep going, was pissing Shocky off. She looked over at Soku and Kumi, they were handling this well for kids, but they grew from little kids to something a bit more mature. She smiled, she couldn't help it. Emotionally everyone grew. She put her hands behind her head and grinned a catty grin. She started to laugh. They looked at her and she just grinned.  
_  
4 hours later... no five too lazy._

They got their, they watched Sasumi walk up towards the place they were going to kill her at. Shocky gripped Gaara's tense shoulders, he wanted to run and save her. She jumped up and extended her hand to try and grab him.  
"No Gaara! Wait! Not yet!" She yelled, '_Damn, I just caught their attention._' She looked over at them. She stood their, Sasumi started to fight them off, or try too. She got two of them, even if she was tied up. She got cut a few times, and finally the leader walked up and knocked her out easily, and laid her on his back like a knapsack. '_Shit, I don't know if I am ready for that... Easy as it looks to beat him and his cronies. Jesus, such violence these days_.' She walked back and she told Soku and Kumi to get to a tree and stay there. They nodded, they understood that they had practiced for emergencies. Kumi grabbed the bag she had stuffed with medicines and some antidotes. She had practiced with Shocky in medicines, and Shocky learned from her father. Soku, who used to look like a little runt, had some muscles and looked a few years older, especially with the outfit that Shocky gave him. Shocky looked over at the leader and walked up to him, or rather towards him. She pushed the enraged Gaara aside and looked at the leader and smiled a pity smile.  
"And you said you kept your word? I thought we would have had the show down today. Good thing I had us come here sooner. The fight will be on your terms. Gaara, go back before you cause damage... or at least more." She smiled at Gaara and patted his shoulder in assurance. The leader sniffed and looked at her.  
"You're a peace maker, just like your mother was. Lilith was the most peaceful person I knew, when she wasn't fighting for the ones she loved. Damn her and your father. I was the one who was supposed to kill them both... not you. It was your fault, your father protected you, and your mother protected you as well. I'll be damned if I don't get to kill you at least." He glared at her, Shocky glared back, just as strong. She looked at him.  
"Admit it. The reason. The reason why you hated my father. Kane did not hate you, you were his friend. Was it because he only felt whole when he was with my mother? Is that why you hate my family and me... Even Sasumi? You yourself has turned into a S-rank while you have been busy collecting them." She looked at the leader. "Is that why... San-kun? Is it? Or is it because I know you have had feelings in the past for my mother? Is that why? You don't have to say anything. I just needed to know why you turned my life, and even agreed to help, kill me and Sasumi because of Senzi? You knew that she would be my friend, and be the sufficient cage for Senzi? Am I telling you all of your doubting questions that you push back day by day just to hide yourself in the dark?" She looked at him. The leader, or more formally San looked at her with the look of someone who guessed with surprising accuracy. He cleaned his look though in a moment.  
"My terms are these. We will fight over in that clearing. And the last one alive gets to take the girl." He smiled, he had more people behind him then Shocky. But Shocky smiled and started to cackle, in a way that made San have a blank face. He started to frown. Shocky stopped laughing. She motioned to Soku, he appeared right next to her, Shocky smiled at him.  
"Soku, will you hand me that bag I handed you earlier? The one that is light and has almost nothing in it? You didn't hit it against anything did you?" She smiled and the bag was handed to her, Soku shook his head and then disappeared back into the tree. It was a medium sized bag, she dug her hand in it and then pulled out a Zune. She took out some earphones and put them around her neck and attached her Zune to her belt and put her jacket over it she smiled, and tilted her head.  
"I'm all set! Are you San-kun?" She grinned a menacing grin. She took out the pills that were given to her, she walked over to Kankurou and handed one to him, he blinked and then started to put it in his mouth, she shook her head, he blushed lightly. Temari got one, Soku and Kumi got one and she smiled at them. She motioned for Kisame and Zetsu to come out, they walked over and Kisame grinned and made a sweeping motion and the sound of sludge (_much like how people motion for someone getting their head cut off_). Some of the men were intimidated by The shark man, though others were laughing at Zetsu. He grinned.

"My-my my Don't they look tasty? "_Yes, yes they do._" I am getting hungry, Can't I eat them now?" Zetsu looked at Shocky, she shook her head. She handed him the pill.  
"All right. Who will go first? The kids are for back up. Don't take them lightly." She looked up over at Soku and Kumi and winked.  
"You think I am going to let me and my men take little infants seriously? Just because they can zap here and there?" He let his hands idly wave this way and that way. She smiled.  
"Actually. They aren't zapping. I trained them vigorously in speed. I put weights that would limit your men on their legs, and on Kumi's arms so that they have movements that are faster than the regular human eye. Isn't it fun? She looked over at the kids and did a thumbs up.  
"Do you think I am going to take you seriously? Hah, hardly now lets get to the place before we look like we are having a tea party." San sighed. The kids appeared at her side, they looked up with blank eyes, some of the henchmen twitched and whispered to each other. Shocky put her earphones and turned the music all the way up and smiled and grinned. She walked, a few feet away from San and then they split to separate sides and she smiled. Gaara walked up and she smiled at him and nodded. Seven men from San's side he smiled. He had at least twenty-one men. She looked over at Temari and put two fingers up. Temari nodded. She grinned.  
"Shall we? Begin?" She shrugged, her music so loud that Kankurou heard it. It was the song Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. San laughed then turned back to seriously look at her.  
"Go." He said with no emotion. Gaara ran up and kicked them, he pretended they were his duplicates, but sloppier uglier, shadier versions. He smiled Sand started piling out of a bag at his waist, It surrounded all seven of the men. They struggled but Gaara smiled and slung his head back in a victorious villain like laugh. He then popped his head back and crushed them, Their top half falling off, then he dropped their lower half and he looked over at Shocky. She smiled and did the thumbs up. She looked at Kankurou and put three fingers up. He nodded and walked up behind her and took off her one of her earphones and whispered in her ear.  
"Curious song for fighting, Don't stop me now, that is." He smiled and walked back to where he was standing. She looked at her men and grinned. She nodded at Temari, she put the pill in Temari's hand. The pills were filled with a special poison, one that made someone crazy enough to kill them-self. Temari put it in one of the fan folds. She walked up to them and grinned. Her seven men ran up and tried to attack her, She opened her fan and sent the pill down the middle man's throat he started to choke then he thought he was fine, He grinned but then grabbed his fellow henchmen that were attacking Temari and killed them with disgustingly horrific ways that made Temari flinch, but her smile didn't fade. San was not happy about this.  
"You're a lot better than I thought you would have been. You and your group. Did you train them vigorously too?" He looked at them, his heart, if he had one, was sinking. Shocky smiled, He knew the answer. Temari walked next to Gaara and then Kankurou grinned it was his turn. He walked over and stood their, he grabbed his two new scrolls. Two people popped out, they were grinning.  
"Meet my new puppets. Ichi, and Ni. I didn't know what to call them. They were made by both Sasori of the Red Sands and Akira." Kankurou said and pointed to Shocky, Sans frown deepened. Ichi continued to grin in a ferocious man eating way, but Ni just grinned in an '_i'ma kill you_' way. Kankurou didn't move or anything, But Ichi appeared behind his three of the villains and proceeded to beat them senseless. Ichi grabbed one mans arm and tor it off and threw it to Zetsu who grabbed it and turned around and devoured the arm. Kisame rolled his eyes. Ni stood there waiting for his, Kankurou Appeared upon the middle man and stabbed a Kunai through his head, Blood was everywhere now. Zetsu was twitching and murmuring back and forth with himself. Ni just smiled, then he opened his eyes which were closed. He ran up to his three and grabbed two of their heads and smashed all three together with such force it caused their skulls to, explode it seemed, in his hands in an array of skull fragments, membrane, and gray cells. Ni licked his fingers and forearms that were covered in the disgusting yuck. Ichi walked over and smiled at his brother and then looked at Kankurou and bowed, then popped and went back into their scrolls as they left they murmured to Kankurou.  
"_To each his own approach towards death._" Ichi and Ni then quieted and Kankurou picked their scrolls up and put them on his back. He walked over to his side and looked at San, who glared at them.  
"You could be a great trainer. Why don't you stop this, let me kill her, and then go leave, be happy and train for money?" he looked at her with a serious face.

"No. I will not. Your men were just not polished enough. You always claimed to have the best fighters. So why don't you bring out the real meat?" She frowned, and then put her music even higher somehow. She sighed and then opened her eyes. She walked up, Gaara, Kankurou and Temari looked over at her. She was serious. She was jealous. Kankurou shook his head, this would be over. He knew that if he hadn't been fighting himself he would have never been able to open those scrolls. He would never have had the mental Connection with Ichi and Ni if he hadn't grown stronger mentally. Shocky turned and gave her assuring smile then turned. She cracked her fingers. She looked up at San and smiled.  
"Shall we fight? Throw out all of your 'good' henchmen and lets see if I can get you and them?" She smiled a toothy smile. She didn't move, forty or so men came out of no where and looked at her and smiled then they all started to cackle the hideous laugh that Shocky knew all to well. Shocky grinned though, and didn't stop until the leader nodded his head. She put a finger up and changed the song quickly to Apoctalyptica- Creeping Death. She smiled and looked at them. The music running through her head, her eyes grew wider her smile deeper, she couldn't contain her joy. She ran at them and just kicked, punched and threw the men around. With one kick she knocked off one man's head then kicked it through five of the men. They all fell dead. The men dwindled easily, Her smile never faded. The vacant valley was littered with dead. She looked up, her smile gone, her face plain. Her eyes a dark forest green, the song replayed. She looked at him, it had been the second time it replayed and it was 5:08 seconds. She looked at him, San's eyes started to show a cringing fear he just smiled though and then started to run. Shocky didn't move for a moment then looked at Gaara, as if asking permission.  
"May I kill him now? I need your permission... _Gaara-sama._" She looked at him, with a sincere face of loyalty. Gaara nodded.  
"Yes. But... Be careful with Sasumi... And yourself damn it." He yelled to her. With that she was all smiles and she ran after the, _not-so-good-at-escaping_ San. He had relied on his men to teleport. He had lost all abilities to use chakra. He looked behind him and cursed. He tried to run faster, but when he looked in front of him Shocky was there, He looked all around him, she was everywhere. He put down Sasumi's body and put his foot on her head. He cackled a nervous but very threatening reply.  
"I will kill her. I am not afraid of you. I can kill you if need be. I will too. After I smash her brains with my foot." His eyes twitched nervously. Shocky began to laugh a creepy laugh. Itachi showed up behind her, Itachi looked at the man and then started to laugh, soon Kisame was behind her, then soon the whole Akatsuki was behind her. And leader was right next to now, the only Shocky there. San started to step back. He shook his head.  
"_That's... that's impossible! You didn't even call them! What... what's going on here! I thought I secured __this area of the use of your chakra_!" He screamed in denial. He felt some hot liquid start lapping against him. He found himself waist deep in blood that Leader was forming around him.  
"Feast your eyes upon your mend blood. Feel their hatred, fear, and impending doom enter you." Leader's voice was a low hiss that enjoyed the pain that was in San's screaming voice. Shocky started to laugh. Everyone started to join in.  
"You think that there is any way that you can stop me from using my chakra? You ludicrous fool! There is nothing that can stop me... When I am not even touching my chakra bank. In fact none of us are using our chakra... we... _are sapping off of yours!_" She started to laugh as she did a few hand signs. She grinned once more, She ran at him, jumping over sasumi and put her fist through his body and then pulled her fist out, She held a dark throbbing glob of something. She threw it to Zetsu, she did it a few more times, each time giving Zetsu the pumping organs of goop. But the last one she crushed herself, Leader fell to the ground face down then Shocky stumbled back and then sighed and fell asleep as Leader caught her and laid her down, next to Sasumi. Both were asleep. Zetsu walked over to the bodies, with the blood vanishing in moments, into his starving mouth. He started to eat the 61 bodies that laid their in a tangled mess. Gaara and Kankurou ran forward, Temari, Soku, and Kumi hot on their heels.

Kankurou knelt besides Sasumi and Shocky, he waited patiently for Kumi to get there. She could tell if they were alive much better than a simple pulse check. Kumi knelt besides them, she checked them and then smiled and nodded that they were definitely sleeping. Words passed all of their lips, but no words were heard by the sleeping girls laying by them, they were in a much deeper world. One that they were happy with, even if only for a few moments. They were undoubtedly happy.


	4. Chapter 10 through 13 END

Chapter 10:

Kankurou was looking through the window, he didn't really know what to do. Gaara was at the hospital again. He saw a figure, it was a vaguely familiar figure. The door was bust open so fast that no one had time to react. It was Shocky, but how? It was only a few days after she was admitted to the hospital, even though she was knocked out, they had to make sure that there was nothing else wrong with her. She went upstairs and fetched something from Sasumi's room and then quickly left. Kankurou followed her to the hospital. He watched her, she turned around and looked at him, her gaze solid and very intimidating. He faltered a few times as she pushed people aside to get to Sasumi's hospital room.  
"Get the hell out of my way. I am the only one who fully knows poisons." She hissed, she entered the room and saw Lady Tsunade. Shocky didn't stop, she pushed Lady Tsunade aside and grabbed something in her pocket. She opened the little bottle she found and sighed. Lady Tsunade glared, her eyes thinning.  
"You don't know poisons. I know them better than you would." Lady Tsunade said with a bit of a huff. Shocky rolled her eyes and opened another two bottles, she poured some of all three into a fourth. Lady Tsunade walked closer and looked at what was in the bottles.  
"Your trying to counter a poison with another poison. She will die if you do that. You should be removed immediately." She looked at the swirling bits of poison that swam around in the other liquids that swirled around suspiciously. Shocky smiled, a catty little smile.  
"You even act fifty. You don't surprise me. My poisons aren't the usual kind. In fact, just because your little 'helper' if you will, could figure out what kind of poison I made that was in Kankurou was just a stroke of luck. Don't make me laugh." She howled, she turned to Sasumi and put the poison/mystery liquid into Sasumi's mouth. Sasumi started to twitch but calmed down. Gaara ran in, he looked at Lady Tsunade, and then at Shocky. He noticed that she looked serious.  
"Gaara, I suggest you take Lady Tsunade outside, then come back in if you would like to help." Shocky said, her hands on Sasumi's forehead, as if taking a temperature. She took out something else, it was a stopwatch, every once in a while Sasumi would twitch, and each time Shocky would stop the timer, she wrote down on a pad the times and soon Sasumi wasn't twitching. Gaara had come back in by the time Sasumi had calmed down.  
"She should be better. I will give the doctors the ingredients to make this." She held the rest of the bottles in the air. She looked at them, her eyes thinned then went back to normal. She walked over and then looked at the doctors. Baki came in, along with Kankurou.  
"Akira, is... everything alright? You seem to be a bit 'tense'." he said slightly loose, he looked at her with a nervous eye. Shocky laughed, then looked at him calmly.  
"Nothing is wrong, Everything is just dandy." She said as she handed the bottles to the doctors and explained what they needed to do. She handed them the stop watch and then smiled as she gave them the notes.  
"As long as she doesn't twitch sooner or later than these times written here she should be fine." She grinned and told the doctors, she faced Kankurou again and grinned at him, a separate grin from the one she gave the doctors. Kankurou smiled a bit, he was happier now that she wasn't mad. Lady Tsunade walked up, her arms folded and face in a pursed angry look.  
"How do you think that, that is going to work on Sasumi? I doubt that you do make poisons at all. And if you do they are just pathetic knock-offs of any poison already here." She said, assured that there could be no one else that is skilled in poisons. Kankurou put an arm around the glaring Shocky and then smiled at her.  
"Don't take her so seriously. Come on, I bet your hungry. How about some cakes and tea?" He said quickly before Shocky could react to Lady Tsunade's angry accusation. Shocky grinned back at him, and then giggled, she put an arm around Kankurou. Kankurou blushed lightly.  
"OK!" she giggled again. She took her arm from around him and grabbed his arm. "It is your treat right?" She smiled.  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is my treat. Just don't get used to me getting you cakes. I only paid last time because you left your money back at my house. But now I know your loaded this might be the last time I pay for your food." He laughed, he gave her a noogie and she puffed out her cheeks.  
Kankurou smiled as Shocky was pointing every which way. She still hadn't had time to observe all of the city's shops. He put his arm around her again and dragged her close so to avoid a large crowd of people. He laughed as she looked over at one of the venders who was selling weapons. She smiled up at Kankurou.  
"This place is so amazing. It's so big compared to back home." She sighed and edged closer to Kankurou as two groups of people, on either side of them passed by. Kankurou liked having her by his side, he smiled. She looked over to him, he looked away, slightly embarrassed. He moved closer to her, she didn't move, even though the street was clear. He took her hand as she nearly passed up the little shop and eatery. She smiled and wrapped her fingers around his, he blushed a bit more.  
"What are you going to do? When... Sasumi is better?" He asked, he didn't want her to go, he wanted her here, he did, deep inside. She looked at him, her expression changed slightly to sadness for a brief second. She then looked up at him and smiled.  
"Leave." She stated quickly then sat down, his eyes lowered, he looked at his feet and sat down.  
"Oh, it can't be helped then can it? Do you have to leave? Is that it though?" He looked, he felt that he said that out of turn. She looked at him and put her hand on his comfortingly.  
"Don't worry. You have Sasumi, Gaara, Temari, Kumi, and Soku to keep you company." She smiled, she hated to leave, her friends, she grew to love them. She sighed, and leaned back, using her hands as support. Kankurou looked at her, he sighed, then looked back and ordered the cakes and tea. The woman smiled and nodded, and walked quickly to tell the chefs. Shocky looked over at Kankurou, she smiled, then laughed, Kankurou turned his head.  
"What?" He said, he wasn't in the mood for games, she just smiled at him, he began to feel unnerved.  
"Come here. I have to tell you something." She lied, feeling the words bounce off of her tongue. He leaned closer, but stiffened as Shocky turned his head and gave him a kiss on the side of his mouth, right on the corner. She smiled, then turned to continue looking at the front of the eatery. Kankurou didn't blush, not as much as he thought he would, he kind of smiled. They ignored small talk, any talking at all actually, as they ate their cakes and drank their tea. Kankurou walked up and paid them, and then walked back to Shocky, she smiled up at him. Walking back it was a bit quieter than usual. Kankurou looked over at Shocky, and saw that something was wrong. He put an arm around her and drug her close. She flinched lightly, he looked over at her, she sighed.  
"Come on, what is it? What's bothering you?" He looked at her, he had painted a false smile on. She looked up at him, a false smile laying dead. He rubbed her arm, she laid her head on him, he put his head on hers.  
"You have to tell me. What is it? If you don't I won't let go." He said, his grip tightened a bit. She didn't do anything, they kept their pace.  
"Something will happen. People... Are following still. I don't know how to put this but. There was more than one person riding on the hope that they can kill Sasumi, or even me." She said, feeling Kankurou's grip loosen. He looked down her eyes meant the truth. He sighed, tightened his grip again and put another arm around her and stopped, giving her a hug. She started to cry lightly.  
"Damn it all! Fuck them! FUCK FUCK FUCK!" She screamed and whispered at the same time. Kankurou held her tighter, and patted her back.  
"Come on. It's OK. It's OK." He said reassuringly. She slammed her fists into his chest, he didn't move, the hits were weak. He sighed again, and picked her head up, she looked away, he smiled, she looked at him.  
" Come on, smile, come on. I know you can still smile." He wiped away her tears, she grinned, then laughed lightly, he took his hand from under her chin. He started to walk again, with her right next to him. He felt on top of the world, he had helped someone, who had helped him.  
_  
Time lapse, Sasumi is awake now, she has been for almost three hours._

"Gaara, Stop it." Sasumi giggled lightly as they were sitting in the sand, just outside of the Village. Gaara was kissing Sasumi's neck and his hands were roaming around, touching every bit of her body. Gaara did, but only for a moment.  
"Why? I can't help it. Your body is just begging me." He said with a raspy rumble. Sasumi pushed him lightly, He kissed her neck again, and started to lift her shirt, she shoved it back down.  
"No, not now. I don't want this." She said, she felt the blood rise in her cheeks, Gaara dismissed it. A shadow, long and thin crossed by their figures, Gaara lifted his head, he glanced, but quickly dropped his hands and stopped kissing Sasumi. He got up and helped Sasumi to her feet. Both walked over to Shocky, who was walking, her head down, not paying attention. Sasumi walked closer, ignoring Gaara's requests to stay at his side. Kankurou ran up. He put his hand on Shocky's shoulder, she turned, but only to disappear in smoke. He blinked, then looked at Sasumi and Gaara.  
"Don't look at me. She said that... She was going to leave... eventually." He said, Sasumi looked at him, her face in a slightly scrunched angered look.  
"Damn it! Why did you let her leave? And then come up here and just say that stupid sentence?" She barked, in an angered voice. Gaara put his arms around her, He put one finger to her mouth.  
"Shh. Calm down. I am sure that he did try and get her to stay." He said, his eyes with a slight hope that, what he said was true. Sasumi looked away, and got out of Gaara's grasp. She started to walk towards the village. Gaara kept an eye on her.  
"When did she say this? Do you know when she will be back? I don't want Sasumi to go and look for her. It could be dangerous." Gaara said, Kankurou sighed.  
"She... didn't say. All she said was that she needed to be assured that no one would try and bother us again." He said, he looked over at his younger brother. "If she goes to look for Akira, I will to. Alright?" Kankurou said, he put a hand on his younger brothers shoulder. Gaara looked over at him.  
"If she gets hurt you will die do you understand. And if Shocky doesn't come back I promise that I will do whatever punishment Sasumi seems fit. Anything for Sasumi." He said, he turned, Kankurou stood there, his hand suspended in air, his mouth open, his eyes open wide with fear.  
"_Fuck._ What will I do now?" Kankurou said, his face buried deep within his hands.

Chapter 11:

Kankurou walked over to the house, he was deep in contemplation. 'Where would  
she have gone? Back to her village? No... not likely. But... maybe.' he looked up and opened the door, he waited for Sasumi to come downstairs. She waked down, and looked at Gaara and Kankurou, she then whistled for Akiki. Gaara walked over, he looked at her eyes.  
"Be careful love. I don't want you to get hurt. That is why I am sending Kankurou with you." He smiled, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Sasumi scoffed.  
"Why should I? And it's not like I'm going alone. I have Akiki with me." She crossed her arms. She would have rather left without them knowing. She opened an eye to see Gaara smiling.  
"That isn't a solid support you know. Sasumi, just allow him to go with you please? For my sake, and maybe he could help you with Shokidenai?" Gaara looked at her with nothing on his mind except what he might do when she get back, that and her protection. Sasumi smiled slightly, 'Hm. Gaara, silly, all he wants to do is get back to what he was doing before.' she smiled, Gaara put his hand on her cheek and rubbed her face with his thumb.  
"Please come back in one piece..." He said, Sasumi smiled and nodded. Gaara walked both Kankurou and Sasumi to the gate and then gave her a final hug before she and Kankurou started to Shocky's home village. Kankurou looked ahead, he didn't concentrate on Sasumi, she looked over to him, as they were nearing the large rocks.  
"Why are you going with me. I am sure that there is a reason beyond helping me." Sasumi said, breaking the silence. Kankurou shifted uneasily for a moment and then he sighed.  
"Only to help you Sasumi. There isn't... a real reason other than... that." He said, he hesitated a little, as if there was another reason. Sasumi eyed him Suspiciously. She shrugged.  
"... Sasumi? What can you tell me about Akira?" He said, he had dug his hands deep into the pockets of his outfit, Sasumi looked over at him.  
"She's loyal..." she paused "She has a short temper, sometimes. If her friends need her, she will do anything for them, if her friends get hurt, insulted, or even looked at in the wrong way, she will fight for them. She hates to fight, she will do almost anything to avoid it, unless she is fighting for her friends." she paused again, Kankurou was looking at her, wanting more information. "She's... hyper, confusing, confused, smarter than she seems, innocent, devilish, rude, to the point, occasionally serious, loud, quiet, complimenting, lazy, dumb at times, and she is herself." Sasumi finished, Kankurou blinked.  
"She's... a conflicting person, isn't she?." He commented, and he thought, '_All Sasumi's missing is emotional, caring, easily amused, and... absolutely loveable._' he looked over at Sasumi and was about to open his mouth before someone came and tackled her. It was Sayf, he struggled a bit but was soon on the bottom of the pile, a kunai to his throat.  
"Damn..." He chuckled. "Your just like her, even though I would hate to admit it... demon bitch." He growled the last two words, and looked away. "Hasn't been the first time I had a kunai at my throat. The last time it almost cost me my life, just because I stepped over the line." He commented, Sasumi eyed him suspiciously.  
"Who are you talking about? Where in hell is Shocky! Damn it!" She cursed the last part under her breath. "When I find her she will be in a shit load of trouble... She isn't allowed to leave without a good bye." She stated, that being half a lie, Sayf snorted. Blowing up some dirt, he watched it, not caring about the kunai to his throat.  
"Stupid demon bitch, I am taking about Shocky, that little time bomb of a mood swinging ninja, though adorably stupid, loses it when you talk about her parents, I thought it was just her dad." He rolled his eyes. "I would check by the pond, she might be there. She and her father used to go there, even her mom before she died. If not. I don't know, maybe she's at Grams place." He commented, Idly drawing in the dirt. Sasumi got up and nodded her head.  
"Is that all you have to say? We don't know where this... 'Grams' is... and besides. I don't plan on talking to an old lady." She stated, much more clearly than Kankurou would have thought.  
"I don't _know_ if she'll be there but it's best to try." He snorted again, this time, standing up, he looked over Sasumi then walked with them to the pond, after he grabbed his stuff half way there. Sasumi noted that he didn't have a lot of possessions but said nothing about it. He turned and walked backwards, looking at them, Kankurou just stared ahead. Sayf stopped then shrugged.  
"Another comment, that I forgot. She might be at the Akatsuki hide out, just a little warning. Just don't try and infiltrate it, Although, they may have more information. They keep tabs on all that she asks them too. Such as Grams, and... herself too." He added the fact a little late. Sasumi swallowed, and looked at Kankurou, who stopped a few feet ahead.  
"Why would Shocky be over there, with those ass holes?" She spat out angrily, Sayf shrugged.  
_  
Change People because I am lame like that._  
Shocky walked around, she didn't want to kill the people Even if it felt like her job and responsibility, she slowed down. '_How would I be able to face Sasumi and Gaara, what would I say to them... _'Oops I killed some people... I'm sorry.'_ they would be upset. But... If they understood, they... might understand. Papa, please help me, I could use your comforting words now._' She sighed, her thoughts scrambling. She glanced around and found a stray, she knew he was one of them. He groaned, and prepared to piss on a tree. Shocky came up from behind and put a kunai to his throat, and pulled it quickly, she blinked and looked at her twitching hand. That was... to easy, it... filled her with glee. She looked at the body, he was a young man, just in his twenties. She clicked her tongue, and turned to find the trail the man had used to get there, her shoes, covered in a thin layer of blood. She met up with them in only a few moments, she didn't care to copy what the 'recently' deceased man looked like, she looked at them, her eyes a solid brownish-gray. The men glanced in her direction, she looked at them and smiled, a wide grin. She held out her kunai, and then threw it. She didn't remember what happened after that, she opened her eyes to see her body covered in blood, sitting on the small pile of corpse's. She put her hand to her face and she furrowed her eyebrows, and closed her eyes, as her shoulders started to heave from crying quietly. She opened her eyes a few minutes later and wiped tears away. She looked at her bag, it remained spotless, she just looked at it, not touching it, in fear of it getting stained. She looked up, it was night time now, she smiled, she loved the night. She got up from her 'dead throne' and sauntered off in an unknown direction. She ended up at a village, the towns people ran inside and locked the doors, all except the orphans, they looked up at her, fear showing yes, but also determination. She looked at them, she would hold out her hand, but she understood how they felt. She sighed and started to walk back towards the Sand Village, but not in a regular manner. She passed it quickly, she didn't want to return, she didn't want to be found. She turned back, then stopped when she was a ways away. She sighed again, she stopped running, she couldn't stop thinking about how bad she felt. She just didn't want to burden them.  
"_No, I won't burden them. Not like I burdened my father._" she continued to walk, her chest heaving only slightly to regulate her heartbeat. She felt someone's arms wrap around her, more in an holding brace than an welcoming one. She straightened up and cleared her mind of one thing... Death. She turned her face, but only to see Kankurou, he smiled at her, she let go of her breath.  
"_Only Kankurou... Wait... what?_" She doubled back, sure enough it was Kankurou, not an impersonator. She threw him on his back, and looked down at him, she hissed, and then ran. Kankurou, the poor sap, was too confused to really do anything, and too hurt to care about Sasumi's orders. He reached for his scrolls and called Ichi and Ni out, he was determined to get her back. The three of them, all skilled in tracking, the best being Ichi, who was ahead, chased after her. Kankurou grinned,  
"_OK Ichi, Ni. This is like a game of Hiding-Go-Seek. Only this time, our goal, is not just to find Akira, but to bring her back!_" He shouted in his mind, telling Ichi and Ni of their goal. Ichi, who had a hard core, soft shell, understood and sped up. Ni, who was rather relaxed a moment before, sped up as well. And so did Kankurou, he was determined, mostly for his own sake, to find Akira. He couldn't help but think of what to say to her, she looked... out of place. He couldn't think of how, only seconds before, she looked relieved to see him, then, flip him on his back and run, after hissing. His mind kept returning to how she was covered in blood, no, not her own, but others. He bit his lip, he didn't like this, not at all.  
"_Something... is too wrong-_" he started,  
"_Perhaps... it is that she wants to protect you, and the others?_" Ichi and Ni cut in, Kankurou sighed, he thought about it, but it didn't seem logical.  
"_She doesn't like me... I don't... think... Why would she want to protect me. She's a tease._" he argued, though he didn't really believe it.  
"_Why do you say that, when you yourself don't believe in your own words?_" Ichi, stated, Ni, blocking the conversation.  
"_But... She kissed me... on the cheeks a few times, but that's nothing special..._" he looked at his hands, he sighed. Ni ignored them, for most of the search, they finally stopped when they saw her bag, it was discarded at the side of a tree. He reached to get it, but he tripped on a skull, it rolled. Its eyes still open, as though saying '_you let her go... you failed._'

_A few hours later_

Kankurou was walking, he had Shocky's bag slung over his shoulder, he shrugged the bag farther up his arm. He glanced in the direction he had saw the head, and found her pack only to look back in the direction of the village.  
"Why... Was she like that?" Kankurou blinked, as he said that, yet again out loud to his-self. He had been repeating that many, many, a times since he had encountered her. He shrugged, to push the bag up again. He shifted his weight to his other foot. The bag was surprisingly heavy. He sighed as he got closer to the village, his head tripping from one thought to another. He felt a creepy sensation, one of being watched closely. Dismissing it, he continued to think. He was home by the time he realized that Gaara would be fuming upstairs. The crash of Gaara's things confirmed it. Even a vase or two, requested to be there by Temari, was heard coming to it's demise. Kankurou heard Temari's incessant screaming, she was furious that Gaara would 'destroy such beauty for a seemingly small cause.' he just shook his head as he went and plopped onto his 'seat' on the couch, the place that he usually sat, and, on a few occasions, snuggled to go to sleep. The thoughts of how Sasumi would be when she got home didn't comfort Kankurou, he sighed, a bit of depression. He started to mess with the strap of the bag. He stared at it. He put it on his lap, he played with the zipper, he remembered the picture. He put it down.  
"_This, is confusing_." He put the heel of his hands on his eyes and rubbed them a bit. He put the palms of his hands over his eyes and contemplated. Playing everything on his closed eyelids like a movie. He took off one of his hands, and opened an eye as he saw, fuming naturally, Gaara practically bolting down the stairs. Save for a moment when he stopped to steady himself from the awkward turn, and change of level. Kankurou did nothing to stop his brother, his face paint askew. He glanced in the direction of his older sister, she was mad as well, but more over the vases. Both trudged past him, as if they didn't notice the seemingly, black blob with appendages, on the couch. He turned his head and looked at Soku who was leaning against the wall. He looked like he had been dealing with this the whole time.

"Anyone care to tell me why, for the name of God, all of you are screaming so loudly? Over a couple of vases?" Kankurou muttered, almost as if he felt sick. Temari stopped in her tracks and looked at her 'some-what-younger' brother. Gaara on the other hand just stared in a snappish manner, in his older brothers general direction. Both of Kankurou's siblings however seemed to slightly come to terms, 'probably, because of how I voiced my words.' , Kankurou eerily thought. He looked over in Soku's direction,  
"How long has Soku been hearing this-this... crap?" Kankurou strained what he said, easily, by including hand gestures. Both, Temari, and Gaara looked over in Soku's direction, now realizing they weren't the only ones.  
"Well, where in hell is Sasumi? And I thought you were going to bring Shock home too!" Gaara spit out, in an worse manner than his previous look. Kankurou's eyebrows raised when he heard the name Gaara used. "Not saying that I would approve of her being here... but... She is Sasumi's friend." Gaara cleared up with a slight cough, Kankurou just shrugged it off.  
"Listen, I doubt that we could simply ask her to come back. I did run into her but..." He sighed, then continued. "She just got mad after we bumped into each other and pushed me, to the ground by surprise, and hissed then ran." He motioned to Shocky's bag. "The bag is proof, I found it neglected by the head of a corpse." He shuddered at the thought of the head, the head he nearly tripped on. He got up and looked over at the small family-like group of friends that had formed. Even if over a span of three or so years, in a small picture frame, they all looked happy. It wasn't recent, but, It was the most recent picture in the house. He stopped thinking about it when Gaara walked over and punched his brother in the face. Kankurou stumbled back. Appalled that his brother would hit him, he grabbed his bleeding lip, his eyes wide in shock. Gaara's eyes were twitching, his face in a snarl.  
"You just left Sasumi? With _HER_? Who knows what might happen if she's... she's dangerous. God!" He put a hand at his forehead in frustration. and then grabbed his older brother by the collar, "Can't you think! If Shock gets the way she did when she killed that guy... She might kill Sasumi! Why didn't you at least try and stop Shock!" Gaara nearly yelled, He obviously didn't find Kankurou's story appealing.

"What was I supposed to do? Make her roll over and play dead? Much worse, what would have happened if I stopped her?" Kankurou looked at Gaara, his lip still bleeding slightly. Gaara let go of his brother's collar and then sat on the couch. He put both of his hands over his face, in a thinking gesture.  
"I don't know what to do! Damn it. Why is it so hard?" Gaara cursed, his teeth clenched tight with rage. He lifted his head, his eyes clouded over with confusion, his hair whisking over his face with the sudden flow of air. They looked at the door, It was Kumi, she walked in, she was slightly upset, Akiki was with her. Soku, slightly relieved, sighed. Kumi walked past Gaara, Kankurou, and Temari, then smiled at Soku, and walked up the stairs into her room. Soku looked thoughtful for a moment, then went and sat in the recliner. Kankurou went and sat next to his brother, who's shoulders were starting to droop. Kankurou put a hand around Gaara, who flinched, and started to pat his back.  
"Don't worry. She will come back. Either with, or without Akira. You mean too much to her, for her to leave again." Kankurou smiled, then continued, "Can't you tell, she nearly _Died_ the last time she left? It tore her up inside. If it was just me, Temari, Soku, and Kumi, she would probably leave in a heartbeat. You're her better half." Kankurou smiled and slapped his younger brothers back. Gaara gagged for a moment, then he looked over at Kankurou.  
"What makes you believe that?" He sat up straight, and crossed his legs, and put his hands behind his head. "I mean, I don't mean that much to her. That would be imposs-" Gaara said, if he wasn't cut off by Kankurou.  
"Improbable, but very possible, in fact. I bet if she had a Diary, your name would be scribbled on every sentence, and every touch, kiss or placement of her name, on your lips, would be written." Kankurou sat in a similar position, only he laid down, Gaara scooted over.  
"What girl would do that? That's just..." Both Gaara and Kankurou glanced over at Temari, who was blushing and blabbering, waving her arms in a crazy manner. Both of her younger siblings raised their brows in a questioning look. She ran up the stairs in a hurry to hide her diary. Time passed and it was hours later, a knock was at the door. Gaara went and opened the door. A battered, blood covered, and distressed Sasumi walked in.

She trudged, in a slow sluggish manner, up the stairs and walked into her room, Gaara followed. '_That isn't her blood, well not all of it. Who... who... no what happened. Who opposed her? More importantly who had the guts to._' he asked himself, the only answer he thought of was Shocky. No one said it, but it was all on their minds, could Shocky have been the one Sasumi attacked, even possibly murdered? Gaara looked at Sasumi, who was holding her side. He walked over and put an arm carefully around her, he kissed her. She faltered, he looked at her.  
"What's wrong? You can tell me... I love you. Nothing will stop that love. I promise." He gave her another kiss. "Please? Please tell me." He begged, half-like anyway. Sasumi looked over to the wall, she didn't want to answer. Gaara tugged harder on her, she felt safe in his arms, she closed her eyes and leaned against him.  
"I don't know. I guess. It's..." A note fell out of her pocket, Gaara took it before she could stop him. He read it, and looked at her, pissed. "Gaara, that's... It's nothing honestly!" She started, he held up his hand.  
"What the hell is this! Who would do such a thing!" He almost tore the thing in two before he handed it back. "Who would do such a thing? Just... That bastard. He sold his daughter, and made her feel like she was unloved, and years later... he says that he's sorry, and at the same time wants her to die! If he wasn't already dead I would kill the sick bastard." He said, his eyes narrowed, Sasumi got up, he held on to her.  
"I want to take a shower if that's all right." She said quietly. She was unnerved at his sudden burst. He didn't let go, he pulled her back down, onto his lap. She stared at the wall, trying not to look at him.  
"No... I want you to stay. Your bleeding and the water would just make the bleeding worse... And... Later... I want to love you." He said, he nibbled on her ear. She twitched, she didn't know what to say.  
"Gaara, no. Not now, not later... Maybe... some other time." She said quietly, she felt his grip loosen, he placed his head on her shoulder, breathing in her ear. He smiled slightly, and nipped at her ear again.  
"Why not? It's not like it's illegal. It might be hard to keep getting a condom quiet.. But I can get one." He whispered in her ear, in a slow, and slightly raspy voice. "I'm ready... more than even. She felt his mouth twitch into a sneer. She just shrugged.  
"It's not the time. I... don't feel... ready. Besides. It will open up the wound again. And.." She just stopped there. Gaara glanced at the door.  
"Go to sleep. That's it isn't it. I will let you. I'll stay, just for you." He laid down next to her, she fell asleep quickly.

Chapter 13:

Kankurou sat in his room, he hugged Shocky's bag, then plopped backwards. He heard Sasumi come in, he lifted his head. She wanted to talk, he didn't really. After she talked to him, he felt his heart, as if it was torn in two. He fell back onto the bed, he closed his eyes. He imagined Shocky was next to him, that her hand was messing with his hair, tracing the lines on his face. He opened his eyes, he threw his arms out in front of him, he open and closed his hands. As if he was grabbing for something, far out of his reach. In a very childish manner. He closed his eyes again, he fell asleep quickly. He didn't know how many hours passed when he woke up, he walked downstairs. It looked like everyone was either asleep or were out. Temari, she was likely to be talking to Shikimaru. There was giggling and 'you always say that' coming from her room. Both Soku, and Kumi's rooms were quiet, he didn't bother with Sasumi's room or Gaara's. He went and sat on the couch, he was still slightly tired. He looked over to his left, then to his right. No one was there, he still felt watched. He stretched, and laid himself out on the couch. He closed his eyes, taking another nap, he sighed. It was another some hours until he woke up, he rubbed his eyes. He headed back up the stairs, he laid on his bed. It was the next day, he didn't care, he sighed, staring at the ceiling. He replayed his dreams in his head. He wanted them to happen. He wanted his dreams. Everyone does, but... his... might not come true. It depends... all he's missing is one girl. He sighed, he went into the bathroom, shuffling, passing by the quiet rooms, save for a few creaks here and there. He started the water, on hot. He put his hand under the shower head, it was burning, he turned it to the right a little. It was a little more his temperature. He undressed and stood in the water, he grabbed his washcloth. He stared at the hanging mirror, he saw something different. Not in the area behind him... but in him. He unhooked the mirror and put it in the sink. He closed his eyes, putting his hands behind his head. He stretched. He started to wash his face, then he grabbed the shampoo and conditioner, dropping both. He cursed, he was clumsy again. He finished, wrapping a towel around himself after he turned off the water. He grabbed the mirror, he put it back. He walked into his room, after throwing his clothes in the hamper. He heard Temari's alarm go off. It was loud, the music was Reel Big Fish- Drunk Again. Kankurou punched the wall, but he was careful not to break through the plaster. He rolled his eyes.  
"What are you so angry about?" the voice made him jump, he looked behind him. He twisted a bit too fast.  
"Akira!" He whispered, staring into the slightly lit hall. He heard a rustle, a figure stepped out.  
"Why not? Who else?" she smiled, she was the genuine, soft eyed Shocky. He smiled.  
"I'm glad your OK." He smiled, he put his hand on his doorknob.  
"Sorry about... Pushing you. It was either that or... Kicking you in your 'sacred place'." She laughed a bit then looked at the wall. They both opened their mouth, but she closed it, blushing. He blushed too.  
"It's OK... Just... Let me get dressed." He smiled, then he went into his room, his face was slightly red, he hurried getting dressed. He opened the door, and she walked in. She had her hands behind her back.

He looked at her, smiling slightly. He jumped at her voice.  
"I've never been in your room before... well aside from when you were staying in my fathers room, but that is different." Her voice was soft, she was quieter than usual. He tilted his head in curiosity as she sat on his bed. Her feet just barely reached the floor. He had to hid a laugh, as she had to jump up to get on it.  
"Come on. Your only an inch shorter than me... aren't you?" he smiled, and eyed her as if he didn't believe her. She looked deep into his eyes. She smiled after a few minutes. He smiled back wider. He walked over to her, he didn't know really what he was doing. He pushed her lightly onto the bed. She blinked, confused slightly, until she understood what he was doing. She blushed, he placed his lips against hers, just a small brush. His face wasn't red or pink. He looked at her, his eyes half closed. The door knob jiggled, Kankurou jumped, he turned around, now he was pink. She looked at him. He ran to the door and quickly rigged it. He stood against the doors. A finger to his lips, instructing her to be quiet. Sasumi's voice arose from behind the door.  
"Breakfast is ready. If you guy's want it. I'm going back to bed." Sasumi lied, her voice jagged from last nights previous activities. Everything turned black. Kankurou opened his eyes. 'It was... a dream?' he thought... 'DAMNIT!' he cursed. He turned his head and then got off his bed, left his room and went downstairs.


End file.
